


The Difference Between Beautiful and Attractive

by Ladyhawk_lhflu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Attraction, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, M/M, Older Characters, Slow Build, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 00:19:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 88,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18457619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladyhawk_lhflu/pseuds/Ladyhawk_lhflu
Summary: Severus Snape fell in love as a teenager, and found his only friend. He lost her to death and suffered alone ever since. As the potions master remembers that ages-old joy, a man he long considered an imbecile starts a campaign to show Snape that he might have been the imbecile for not trying to reach for joy a second time.Final edit done 9/14/19. It is now complete!





	1. Severus

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by an article in the New York Times, a society/modern love piece (I believe) about a woman's struggle with wanting to be beautiful. I figured these two men might know what that struggle is like.  
> POV is indicated by chapter title.

I barely held my temper as I reprimanded my current apprentice, who had chopped the aconite flowers too fine yet again.

"How can you keep messing it up, you idiot? I showed you the exact dimensions they need to be three times this week! Chopping them too fine means I need to add more to the Wolfsbane. That means I risk sickening the members of the Constellation Pack. And right now, they are my best customers! Start over before I find a way to add you to the potion! But do it quickly, we don't have much time."

The thought that a pack of werewolves were the ones keeping me afloat in enough galleons to live rankled me, but I didn't let that show on my face. This young fool needed to get his job right. With my war-injured hands, I couldn't even attempt to chop the amount of ingredients needed for the Wolfsbane. To ensure the werewolves had it by the next day, the first day they would need to take it, we needed to start brewing it by sundown. But Rudolf Verdi's incompetency put that schedule in jeopardy.

"Yes-Yes sir," the young man muttered as he went to the back room to retrieve another bag of aconite.

Just then, I heard someone clear their throat from somewhere near the front door of the shop. So I reluctantly looked up from the table where I was carefully scooping the too-fine aconite into a bowl, for use in something else.

"Mr. Snape, could we be of some help?" Edward Lupin, the 20 year old son of Hogwarts' idolized DADA professor asked. He and the young man next to him must have come to check on the progress of the potion, as the Lupins and the other young man were members of the Constellation Pack. They all had been present when I had gone to their meeting hall outside of London to negotiate a deal to brew for them six months ago. 

"What do you know about chopping potions ingredients?" I snapped irritably. Asking for or accepting help usually caused more trouble than it was worth. But with time at a minimum, I couldn't afford to turn them down on principle.

The two bowed their heads as Lupin said, "I was at least better than my Dad at potions, and Al works in the kitchen at our center. As you seem to be under a time pressure for our well-being, maybe our hands can help all of us."

"Your father could chop the ingredients. It's their mixing he had difficulty with." I stared at their sincere faces and knew they wouldn't leave me alone until they got their way. The younger Lupin was just like his father, noble to a fault. It appeared as if he also convinced the young werewolf to act just like him. "Fine! But keep in mind that my knives are sharper than the ones in the Hogwarts dungeon. I will not be responsible if you slice yourselves."

"Of course, Sir." Lupin sat at my preparation table, then pulled out a pair of muggle elastic gloves for his friend. He *was* better at understanding potions ingredients than his father. The elder Lupin would have had difficulty remembering that although werewolves could touch the aconite flowers without ill effect, cutting them released a small amount of liquid that could be irritating to them.

"I have three sets of gloves, Al. So watch your fingers. We only have until five o'clock, if Mr. Snape can brew the potion overnight. If he can't, we have to work faster." Lupin helped his friend into the gloves and they set to work under my instruction.

I did tell them that I intended to work through the night. It was apparent that the gloves made the werewolf slower than Lupin at their task. So it seemed prudent to not make them rush and ruin more ingredients. But surprisingly, they were competent. Much more competent than Verdi. Verdi appeared resentful after a few minutes of watching them, as he realized how much better they were. 

I just glared at Verdi. He had been my apprentice for nearly a year and still had not gathered the basics of preparation. I had to watch the fool constantly or he'd make messes bigger than Neville Longbottom had when I had been his teacher. And Longbottom had had an excuse, according to some accounts. I had made him nervous, and his nervousness had caused his hands to tremble. I found out even he was passably competent as an adult, when we had worked together on some potions he was using on his plants.

But Verdi's hands did not tremble. His mind did, every time I suggested that he do something. He reminded me too much of the men who the Malfoys used to do their dirty work over the years. Those men were more valuable to the Malfoys if they couldn't think for themselves.

That lack of ability was an annoyance to me. So I found a rather perverse satisfaction when the young werewolf corrected Verdi as they went about their task. Then Lupin stepped in to guide Verdi's hand in the correct way to dice the flowers.

Even though they were patient and more personable than I had the ability to be, the pack members had to demonstrate a few times until they could make Verdi copy them adequately. But once he was being a passable help to them, I turned back to my preparation of the other ingredients for the Wolfsbane.

A few minutes later, the door opened, frustrating my attempt to organize the bottles I was using to store and distribute the potion. I couldn't take Verdi away from his task to see to the customer, not after the two volunteers had finally taught him the skill that was needed.

So I put on my best neutral face, to keep my far less than perfect visage from frightening my customer, and turned toward the door. Where I was suddenly confronted by the pensive face of the elder Lupin. "Severus, is everything ok?" he asked, watching the three young men at the table. "Should I help as well? We didn't mean to overstress you when we made that standing order of thirty sets of Wolfsbane each month."

I shook my head before he could approach the table. "Your progeny and packmate are doing adequately. But I am afraid they will be late for your communal supper." Everyone knew of this weekend event, as the werewolves invited all the wizards of London before each, and used it as a way to normalize relations between them and the rest of the wizarding world. I had not attended up to this point, preferring to merely drop off the Wolfsbane when needed and return to my solitary pursuits.

Something occurred to me after I mentioned the meal, making me turn to the younger werewolf. "Does your Alpha know where you are? Since you normally help in their kitchen, your leader should be informed that you will be unable to do so today."

"Of course, Sir." The young man looked to Lupin, who nodded. 

"I'll inform the chef that you have a more important task, Al. Make sure you both work well and get done in an adequate amount of time. Molly, Bill and Victoire are coming today. Victoire has some designs for your wedding robes to look at, Teddy." Remus Lupin watched the young men carefully, then nodded to me as if approving of something.

The younger Lupin sighed after he caught his father's eye. "Can't we just escape to America and come back married?"

The professor shrugged. "I wouldn't have an issue with that. But Fleur and Molly would, so don't even suggest it around them unless you want to be screamed at."

"You ran away to marry Mom, didn't you?" The younger man's eyes appeared to plead to let him do the same.

"Just to a church outside Hogsmeade. But yes, we felt better doing it without the prying eyes of the Order members on us." Lupin's eyes flicked to mine for a second time. I was surprised to find a sadness there. I shook my head, berating myself for my momentary musing. Of course the thought made him sad. He lost his wife not that long after the event.

Lupin went to the table to lay a hand on his son's shoulder. "That, and your birth, were the happiest days of my life. I want you to have the same. So figure out how you really want to marry Victoire and talk to her about it. This isn't Molly's ceremony. Don't let her take over."

The son looked the father in the eye for a moment, then nodded. "Maybe we should sit in the back for dinner today. There may be some yelling."

"I'll help you with a muffling spell as long as you heal any wounds I get from holding Molly back." The Lupins both smiled at this.

"Agreed," Edward said before going back to chopping aconite.

I secretly marveled at the easy affection between the two men, but I did my best to keep it off my face. Because the elder Lupin was now approaching me.

"Severus, do you have a place where we could talk privately? I need to discuss something with you."

I nodded and led him into the back, where my office was. "What is this about?" I said snidely the moment I closed the door. "You will get your Wolfsbane on time no matter what. I'm not about to let thirty feral werewolves loose in London."

Lupin shook his head as he leaned against the wall of my office. I had not offered him a chair because I wanted to get this over as quickly as possible. And the other man, fool that he was, seemed to agree to my terms for this discussion. "I know you will adhere to your promise, don't worry. Minerva sent me here. We need to discuss Rudolf Verdi."

"Does she want me to bow down to her because she provided me with such an incompetent apprentice?" I asked in a scathing tone. That young man had caused me more than enough grief.

Lupin, upon hearing my anger, held up his hands. "No, she wants to apologize for doing so. She sent me to make that clear since you seem to be ignoring the owls she sent you."

He took a deep breath and looked like he would stop there. But when I eyed him skeptically, he continued. "He cheated his way through potions for three years, at least. We recently discovered this when I found some of your old teaching materials in the Gryffindor common room. The ones that you charmed to become invisible during tests. Apparently some of the Gryffindors and Syltherins had stumbled on them in the dungeons and knowing they had the best information available, hid them under the tables during the tests. Two of the students were caught using them during the NEWTS. Francis threw them out of the classroom when he saw one of the parchments become visible and sent them straight to me to be reprimanded. They confessed that Rudolf was among the group that found the parchments."

I scoffed. "That makes your son and even the precious Potter boys suspects in the debacle."

Lupin shook his head. "Teddy has always had enough integrity to learn things properly. But since integrity usually isn't enough to convince you of anything, let me give you a few more details. Only the Gryffindors and Syltherins knew about the parchments. Teddy was a Hufflepuff, like Dora. As far as Harry's sons are concerned, Albus and Draco's son were kept out of the loop because they became newsworthy outside Hogwarts. James was too aware of riding Harry's robe hem to risk his career prospects like that."

I nodded with a sigh. "Lily would have hated to see her grandchildren brought so low. For her memory, I'm glad they weren't involved."

"James would have too. He took a lot of his pride in his skills. So does Harry. Trust me, he does. He looked a bit like you at your fiercest when he questioned his boys."

Lupin took another deep breath, as if preparing to say something difficult. "Please come to the community dinner. Minerva will be there. We want to discuss an arrangement that will let us atone for this problem you now have."

When I started to protest that I would have to watch over the Wolfsbane, Lupin waved his hand a bit angrily. "Do you think I don't know the potion that keeps me sane?! I may not be able to brew it but I know how it's made. The first batch has to sit for four hours after the ingredients are combined before you can touch it again. Just long enough for you to come to dinner."

I sighed. "Fine, I'll let you and your Headmistress fall over yourselves in apology. But before I do, I don't suppose you can tell me why Verdi can't use a knife when we make Wolfsbane, but seems adequate with one when we make other potions?"

Lupin pushed off the wall to stand next to me. "One of the parchments contained the charm you used on your knives to steady them. He's good at charms, so he could use that easily. But apparently even Mr. Verdi absorbed the fact that using magic around Wolfsbane will ruin it. Dinner is at six. Don't be late."

The gentle smile he gave me before he left the office reminded me so much of Lily Evans Potter that I stood rooted to the spot for five minutes. It was entirely too similar to the one she had given me when I had done something that pleased her.

But why would Lupin give me such a smile? We were barely acquaintances, and most of the time we were around each other, he frowned at me. And I frowned at him just as much.

So his smile was a shock. But somehow, it was a shock that I wanted to be repeated.


	2. Remus

Was I the only one who could see the loneliness in Severus' eyes?

I convinced myself that thought wasn't true. Other people were around him enough to see it. Minerva sought him out for the medical potions for the school. Harry and Neville, claiming they owed Severus for the good he did during the wars, checked on him periodically and made sure he took care of himself. They must have seen that flash of pain that showed whenever someone interacted with another kindly in his line of sight.

I usually watched him from afar, out of the corner of my eye, or in a way that made it hard to tell that I was focused on him. He tended to become agitated around me. Though he swore that it resulted from a combination of the werewolf curse and our past enemy status, I wasn't sure. We never were actual enemies. That was saved for Sirius and James. And he knew as well as I did that I would not let the wolf out until it had to come out. It was no threat to him.

But he never got over Lily's 'rejection' when she married James. That was where some of the loneliness came from. I wondered if that was also where his animosity towards me started. My friendship with Lily might have labelled me as rival, then co-conspirator when she became interested in James.

I sighed as I headed out of Severus' shop and to the pack's community building. Although I would miss the friends I lost to the wars for the rest of my life, I knew you couldn't wallow in pain and still live well. Harry had helped me put the last of the pain concerning Lily and the Marauders aside. Teddy had helped me recover from Dora's death. I couldn't be a decent father if I was stuck in the past. I owed it to Dora to raise our son to be a good person.

But nobody had convinced Severus to let go.

Given Severus' jobs during the wars and his abrasive personality, that task was not for the faint of heart. But the loneliness in his eyes called to me. I couldn't let him suffer.

So when he came back to us, I kept an eye on him and subtly tried to make life easier on him. By talking to his ingredient suppliers, by making sure that his deliveries were undisturbed on his doorstep, and that the ignorant populace didn't mock him where he could hear. And now, I had an opportunity that I hadn't expected. A chance to help him find a new apprentice.

Teddy had actually realized he needed one before I did. He had spotted the parchment on my coffee table that held the names of those suspected of cheating with Severus' notes. My son recognized Rudolf Verdi's name and immediately asked my advice about how to check if Verdi was hindering Severus, without causing Severus to lash out.

Since I suspected Teddy would spark Severus' anger less than I would, I let my son do the task. I advised that calm deference, logic, and ignoring Severus' outbursts were the best ways to get information out of him. My son went one step further when he took a friend along and went prepared to correct Severus's problem.

I was very proud of my son, and the way he handled a man who often refused care that he needed. But now I had to prepare to face that man as well. So the moment my second, Daryl, greeted me, I started trying to help Severus yet again. "Our potions master is coming to dinner. I need you to mark off a quiet corner so the Headmistress and I can talk to him."

"Yes, Alpha," Daryl agreed immediately. "Should I inform Professor Longbottom and Auror Potter?"

"Not yet. I need to correct a mistake that we made at Hogwarts that affected him. I need to do it carefully, or he may think I'm insincere. Too many people have betrayed him in some way. I don't want him to think I'm like them, so I have to give him my full attention."

"I'm glad we can repay his good deed," Daryl said as he wrote a few notes on the parchment he was holding.

"He doesn't see giving Wolfsbane to us at a price we all can afford as a good deed. It is a way to keep himself safe from us, or so I believe he thinks." I shrugged.

"Like he believed revealing your lycanthropy to Hogwarts was protecting himself and his charges rather than saving you from the curse on the Defense position." I had talked to Daryl about being outed by Severus when I rejoined the Hogwarts faculty ten years ago. My second had believed I was foolish to take the job again, considering what had happened the first time. So I explained to him the facts of my dismissal, which Minerva had revealed to me once she didn't have to worry about Death Eaters overhearing.

I nodded in agreement. "So don't thank him. He will be more respectful if you promise that his payment won't be late. But please make sure he is not harassed."

"I will, Alpha. I won't let anyone's ignorance spoil his time here." Daryl gave me a small bow before heading off to check the kitchen.

Then I went into my pack office to plan how to tell Severus that he'd be better off with a werewolf and a werewolf's son than the apprentice he had now.

====

Our current battle of favors had started as we recovered after the war.

Neither of us should have survived the binds we found ourselves in right before Harry was able to defeat Voldemort.

Killing curses were supposed to do as they were named. But Poppy Pomfrey swore the curse that I had lived most of my life under negated the one that was supposed to end it.

Poisoned and dying, Severus should have passed his last breath in the little shack that had been my wolf's cage. But he was somehow able to reach the antidotes he had sequestered in his robes. Unfortunately, he also ended up uncorking the potions he had made to defend himself from the evil he appeared to serve. Those potions ruined his hands. But he was alive after the screams. Even he considered the damage a small price to pay for his life.

So we had recovered in the same room in St. Mungo's, as I was the only patient who would put up with his tirades. It didn't help that the other patients glared at him, spat at him, called him as ugly as his 'black heart' and generally made a difficult recovery worse. Because although Harry did his best to clear Severus' name, most of the wizarding world refused to see the facts.

A few times during our recoveries, the doctors would attempt to put a third person in our room. One who would curse Severus out. Once the abuse started, he would grow very quiet. As soon I noticed his silence, I would very loudly demand that the person be taken to another room. Then I would spend a night or two sitting next to Severus' bed so I could wake him from the nightmares the insults caused.

He would return the favor on full moon nights, because the Wolfsbane that the hospital made would cause me pain. So he would sit next to my bed as I hid my muzzle in the sheets. It took two months before he got over his fear of the wolf. During those full moons, he would sit at my bed and talk nonsense while he trembled. But during the third month's moon, the trembling stopped as he ran his hands through my fur.

Three more months continued like that, until we were recovered enough to leave St. Mungo's. Then Severus Snape disappeared for twelve years. Given his tendency to stick to the shadows, it took me five months to realize he had completely vanished. Then I spent another month asking everyone I knew (and some who I didn't) if they knew of his whereabouts. Then I waited. Because I knew we were similar in at least one way: we preferred the places we called home. So I knew he would eventually return to Hogwarts, Spinner's End or wizarding London when he had enough of whatever drove him away.

In the time he was gone, I adjusted to raising my son, became the head of a pack that had lost their Alpha to his own ignorance and pride, and finally gave in to Minerva's repeated requests that I come back to Hogwarts and become Deputy Headmaster.

But part of me watched and waited for Severus' return. For I still owed him quite a bit.

Although his exit had been silent, his return to wizarding London had been loud and painful.

I had gone to the Ministry of Magic for the pack's supply of Wolfsbane for February of that year when I saw him being tackled by a number of Aurors right next to the elevator. 

I nearly didn't recognize him at first. He was disheveled and way too thin. But as he laid under a rather burly Auror, his dark eyes met mine. When the connection was made, I let out a loud gasp. Recognition flooded me. "Severus!" I yelled.

I reached towards him without thinking because his eyes begged me for help. But the time since his departure caused a problem. I had become the most respected werewolf in history (even though one of my accomplishments had been hidden from public view). So I was gently moved away from the scuffle.

Luckily, Harry Potter had been among the Aurors responding to the disturbance. As he passed, he nodded to let me know he had heard my yell before I was removed from the area. I sighed with relief. I was able to continue with my errand without worry because I knew that Severus would get fair treatment.

There was a delay when I finally arrived at the Potions Department. It took nearly twenty minutes to get to, as it was in the furthest back corner of the Ministry. So I was annoyed when a rather harried brewer told me that a correction needed to be made to the potion. Would I mind waiting an hour?

Knowing that any show of temper might be taken as the wolf coming forth, I just nodded. Almost exactly an hour later, I was handed a crate of Wolfsbane bottles by an apprentice who appeared to be trembling.

I was puzzled by this, but as I needed to get back to the community center for the workshop I was teaching that night, I didn't ask about it. But I was happy to find that that month's doses of the potion didn't make my scalp itch, as all the previous batches from the Ministry had.

It took me until I had a private conversation with Harry at Teddy's birthday party to find out why. Severus must have felt he owed me for informing Harry of his presence, and ultimately rescuing him from the overzealous set of Aurors. So he had ordered Harry to tell him why I had been in the Ministry building. When the younger man had replied that I was there to pick up Wolfsbane, he had immediately demanded to be taken to the Potions Department. Harry said that our potions master scanned the ingredients list for about two seconds before slamming the head brewer against a wall and insisting that all the bottles be treated with oak smoke to neutralize the gru-beetles in the potion.

Gru-beetles were a common ingredient in Wolfsbane. They kept the awful scent of the potion contained to the bottle or cup it was in. But Severus Snape knew that having gru-beetles in this set was risky at best. Because he had known since we were in 5th year potions together that I was allergic to them.

So I was in debt to him yet again. But I never stopped trying to repay him for the kindness that he gave when he thought nobody noticed. In the eight years he had been home, I made some progress. Then the stubborn man found ways to do me more favors when my back was turned.

====

But when he arrived for dinner, I could repay him a bit more. Daryl set up a private space for us. The chef carefully prepared a beef stew that I knew he favored. Minerva arrived in time to calm me and help debate how we should choose the apprentice candidates once my son and his friend had finished their turn (or if Severus rejected them).

Then, as people assembled for our weekend communal meal, my pack spaced themselves among the wizards. For we all knew what to expect when he arrived.

The prejudice that surrounded the dour man reared up almost immediately. As Severus stood in the doorway, a number of wizards stood up and gasped. A few called him names. One or two tried to block the doorway to keep him from coming in.

But before they could get very far, my pack stated their opinion of the man. Every member in the building turned towards our Wolfsbane supplier, and bowed their heads in thanks while restraining the arms of the protesters closest to them. Harry and Neville, who had been right behind Severus, came up to his sides to guide him inside and protect him from the bolder protesters. And despite his glare, I took his hand as he came over to me.

For like Harry and Neville, he was considered one of the pack. He was family because he cared for us.

I took my regard one step further. Because, like Albus Dumbledore before me, I had become convinced the heart inside Severus Snape was softer than his sneer suggested.


	3. Severus

It wasn't the offer to correct the problem concerning my apprentice that made me reconsider how I thought of Remus Lupin. It was how he made the offer.

For some unfathomable reason, he treated me as if I were one of his precious friends. As if I were one of the beings who gave his life meaning. But his generosity came with a caveat.

If I had known that his interference would put me on display in front of the pack, I would have never left my shop. Actually, the pack's manipulation of me started even before I walked into the door of the community house. But I didn't consider Lupin to be stealthy. Although there were clues around him, I didn't realize he was behind it until he had me in a more amicable position.

Still, I should have known that the situation would not be simple when my two Constellation pack volunteers insisted on apparating with me to the community house. Although I protested, the young man named Al shook his head as he put the lid on the potion so it could set, and disposed of his gloves. "You may have difficulty if we aren't with you, Sir."

A moment later, he pulled the chain that held his pack sign from under his shirt.

All Constellation pack members, including those who were fully human, had such necklaces. Although most kept them hidden when out and about normally, during pack functions, they were proudly displayed. The engraving on one's chain was the individual's choice from the 88 constellations in the sky. Two were reserved for the highest members of the pack. But the rest could be picked from, and repeated among the group as a statement of personality, hope, solidarity, or skill.

The young man before me had chosen Aquila, the eagle, as his constellation. He seemed to be a determined person in a way similar to Longbottom, who often worked hard to gather his strength. As the eagle was one of the strongest birds in the sky, I could not fault this boy for his choice.

Settling the oval engraved with his constellation against his chest, the werewolf looked to the younger Lupin. "Can you be our backup?"

"Of course, I'll be right behind you." Lupin finished cleaning up the prep table as I shooed Verdi home for the night. 

Then the young werewolf took my arm. Realizing what he intended, I rolled my eyes. My war injuries caused me to change how I did some things, but apparating wasn't one of them. I opened my mouth to tell him so. But before I could get a word out, a silvery Patronus whirled to a spot in front of us. "It's all clear, Al. Even though Alpha protested their involvement, I asked Messieurs Potter and Longbottom to meet you at the tree. That way we can protect him adequately."

The young werewolf then gave another nod to Lupin, and we apparated to the tree in question before I could make another attempt at protesting.

Of course, I didn't need such coddling, and I didn't want anyone believing I'd accept it just because they thought it was a good idea. So as soon as the magic dissipated, I made a show of ignoring Potter and Longbottom, and marched over to the community house door.

Where I was met with the protests and accusations that continued to plague me nearly twenty years after the wars ended. The ones that nearly sent me scurrying back to my safe little shop.

But then the two heroes I had avoided came up to me with their constellations prominently displayed. Orion for Potter. Perseus for Longbottom. Somehow fitting for both. In fact, from what I've heard of Orion Black, the mutt's father, Potter's claiming of that constellation actually seemed like a sweeping of cobwebs from our psyches.

The do-gooders became human shields as I walked in the door...to find the wolves honoring me with a bow of each lupine head. It was disturbing enough that I nearly showed my shock on my face.

But before I revealed too much, I reminded myself that the Alpha must have directed their actions. Because a potion wasn't enough for them to give me that much credit. But who knew what the Alpha was thinking? An Alpha, who up to this point, had kept his identity a secret. He could be anywhere in the crowd I faced.

So I looked at the pack charms nearest to me. Canis Major, the Alpha's constellation, was nowhere to be seen. But I couldn't look past the row nearest the door because the elder Lupin came up to me and guided me to the a set of chairs in the back of the room.

The silent argument against the prejudice I endured so confused me that I didn't notice that Lupin's pack charm was still hidden under his shirt.

====

The solution to my apprentice difficulty, that Lupin and Headmistress McGonagall had decided on, was the first thing in the community house that did not surprise me.

They relayed it to me after Lupin had shaken my hand, I was settled into a comfortable chair, and then handed a steaming bowl of beef stew. The stew tasted like it had been made for me by the house elves at Hogwarts who had done their best to keep me from cracking under stress when I had been Headmaster. The attention made me more receptive than usual. But their idea was rather practical, so I didn't have any reason to refuse it. I wasn't stupid, nor was I stupidly stubborn.

Of course, the Headmistress and her Deputy recommended I take the younger Lupin and his friend as apprentices until the situation at Hogwarts could be rectified. Edward Lupin was studying medicine at St. Mungo's and needed improvement in his potions skills before his residency. Al Jamison, his friend, was one of the Welsh group of lycanthropes that the pack had rescued from a militia a year ago. He had not been allowed any education in Wales since he became a werewolf two years previous, but was now trying to learn and choose crafts under Lupin's guidance. I was told that Francis Grady, Hogwarts' current potions master, would be grateful if I would start the young man on the basics before Grady began instruction with him over the summer.

After enough grumbling to disguise that I was actually pleased, I agreed. Edward had a good enough grade set in potions that I knew he could do advanced potion work without too much prodding. The pack kitchen staff reported that Jamison was someone who listened well, so I could use stocking supplies as a way of giving him a primer in the subject.

"We are making plans to find a better way to recommend students to you, Severus. Perhaps you and Francis could put together a practical test. That would help ensure that whomever we choose has the minimal set of skills that you need for your shop," the Headmistress said, squeezing her hands together as she tended to when agitated.

"I'll see what I can do," I groused. I didn't like that she was upset over my condition. I didn't need anyone making a nuisance of themselves trying to help. Didn't she have grander things to worry about, like her students' futures?

As I pondered this, the younger people at the tables yelled as the desserts came out of the kitchen. Apparently that was reason for celebration. Looking at the smiling faces, I was glad that Albus Dumbledore would no longer force me to sample something sickly sweet to please him. 

Before the tables were served, the chef came over to our corner and bowed to us. "Sirs and Madam, I would be pleased if you check that these desserts are up to the best standards before I serve them to the pack and our guests."

I thought it odd that Lupin was served first. But I considered the possibility that his werewolf status made him more prestigious to pack members than the head of Hogwarts. He was given chocolate mousse topped with cherries. He sighed in obviously enjoyment as he tasted it. That sigh was so powerful that it actually made me long for something. What, I wasn't sure of, and probably didn't want to think about.

The Headmistress was then given a puff pastry filled with a thick cream that had her smiling with delight. That had me sighing with relief. Her dessert would distract her from trying to take care of me.

Then the chef turned to me. I was about to refuse his wares, as politely as I could muster, when he whispered, "It would honor me if you taste the rhubarb pie that I made for those who prefer less sugar."

The chef did not press further than that. He simply put the small plate on the table in front of me. The Hogwarts duo said nothing as I stared at it. They concentrated on their own sweets for the moment.

Because enjoyment was something I hadn't sought in many years, my mind centered on an excuse before I could accept the offering. It would most likely help my business if I seemed friendly to the pack members. Once I fooled myself into thinking it wasn't pleasure, I picked up the fork and cut into the slice of pie. When the morsel reached my mouth, it exploded into flavor the likes of which I hadn't enjoyed in quite awhile. Pleasantly tart, with a hint of sweetness. Just as I preferred it.

So I nodded my approval to the chef. "This is more than adequate."

The man's face turned gleeful. "Thank you, Sir, for the kind compliment." My meager words seemed to impact him more than the joy coming from the others. I wanted to find fault with his response, but I had been treated so well that I could not.

Once he was satisfied that we continued to enjoy his creations, the chef turned to Lupin to bow. Surprisingly, Lupin did not say a word. He just gave the other man a small smile and a nod. 

I had a few more bites of my pie with restrained relish. Both of my companions watched as I did, and seemed to approve, somehow.

After a few minutes of the hidden smiles at my expense, I muttered, "Please let Moonchild know that I appreciate his hospitality." Moonchild was the name of the Alpha that the pack gave to the world. Everyone knew it was an alias. But nobody, not even the young zealous journalists at the Daily Prophet, could figure out who was behind the name.

But that didn't seem to be an issue for my companions. Because Minerva just replied, "He already knows."

A few moments later, a ruckus broke out in a corner behind us. All it took was a shout to understand what was going on. "I am not letting my granddaughter be married in a dusty old cottage out in the middle of nowhere!"

Molly Weasley had arrived.


	4. Remus

As I heard the shout across the room, I realized that Teddy's future grandmother-in-law was going to ruin the headway I had made in relating to Severus Snape. I was certainly not pleased by this. Judging by the glare Teddy gave Molly Weasley, neither was my son.

Of course he was upset by the woman sticking her nose into his wedding plans with Victoire. By Molly's shout, I assumed the couple had been discussing getting married at my father's cottage in Wales. The land around the cottage was lush and green. The cottage could be expanded to accommodate many people. If the weather was good, I could imagine a rather joyous ceremony there.

As I excused myself to Minerva and Severus to check on my son, I could see that Teddy was upset that I had been disturbed. For he knew of my obsession with Severus Snape. 

In fact, he approved of it.

====

"You find him attractive, don't you? Why? He's not a handsome man," Teddy had asked five years ago as we walked down Diagon Alley past the new shop that immediately attracted my eye. That was when Severus had finally gotten his potions shop running. It had taken him three years to do so because he had had to recover from his secret excursion, raise money doing odd jobs, then find a way around all the people trying to prevent him from getting the building. They didn't want him there because they were scared of him.

Teddy had watched me, and then helped me, find Severus customers almost from the beginning. My son's empathetic nature wouldn't allow Severus to fail without at least an attempt to help.

I, on the other hand, didn't want to look too closely at why I was interfering. So I concentrated on the how. I made sure to talk to people who would appreciate his talents. The ones who understood that the most you had to fear from Severus was his fierce tongue. He could certainly wound with it. But he wasn't about to attempt a coup of our restored Ministry, as too many of our brethren believed.

I was going through a lot of trouble to get Severus his first customers. And Teddy was observant. He had been that way for most of his life. When your family had been haunted by secrets and bad decisions, you tended to watch out for when the next problem showed up.

My son, of course, had every right to know when his father was interested in someone who might one day fill the spot once occupied by his mother, if Severus found me as interesting as I found him. So the weekend after Severus opened his shop, I guided my son past the Whomping Willow to the shack that even I now avoided. The thought of Severus nearly dying there disturbed me so much that the one full moon after the war that I spent there, I howled all night. The Wolfsbane potion had done nothing to calm me once the place began to haunt my nightmares.

I wanted Teddy to understand that there was a connection between his mother and the man I was obsessed with. So I stood with him before that wretched place.

"Your mother once told me that she was surprised that I was as calm as I was about the wolf, given that this was where he spent most of his time," I told Teddy as we faced the severely dilapidated shack. "Dora found this building extremely ugly. But she said that it wasn't the lack of aesthetics or beauty that concerned her. She understood why Headmaster Dumbledore had needed to disguise it. But then she said something odd to me. She said there was nothing attractive about it. And she figured that would have agitated the wolf."

"Aren't those the same things? Beauty and attractiveness?" Teddy asked wonderingly.

I answered him with a shake of my head and a request. "Come with me."

We walked to the edge of the Forbidden Forest where an old gnarled tree rested. As Teddy watched, I waved my wand around the border of the space the Marauders had warded to try to give the wolf a little freedom, without letting it completely loose. When I did, the light spell that had been used to mark where the wards belonged reactivated. I sighed as I surveyed the area. The space was muddy, overgrown in spots, and had thorns in others. "This was the wolf's other cage. This space, though just as ugly as the shack, was much more attractive to your mother. She said she could see the compassion in this spot. The Shack, on the other hand, was only a place of fear, because even the Headmaster had been afraid of me on full moon nights."

Teddy studied the area for a bit, then carefully entered the lighted border and dug in the dirt by the tree. "She was right," he said quietly. A moment later he showed me one of Sirius's old leather hair ties, and a small blue sphere.

"Is that a marble?" I asked, crouching down next to him. My son shook his head. "It's a potion ball."

A potion ball was similar to a muggle pill. But unlike a pill, it would withstand inhospitable conditions, like being buried in the dirt. One would just have to wipe it clean before swallowing. Only certain types of potions could be turned into balls. As I looked at the softly glowing object, I struggled to remember what those types were, as potions class had stymied me at the best of times.

By this point, my son had been working with Madame Pomfrey for a few months as an in-school apprentice. So he already knew more about potions than I ever did. "It looks like some kind of sedative." Teddy said as he tapped it gently with his wand. "A strong one, I think." He looked up at me. "One that might work on a cursed being in an emergency?"

I shrugged. "It wouldn't surprise me. James was often worried about the wolf getting loose. He said Sirius took too many chances and stressed the wards when he let the wolf chase him."

Teddy nodded as he stood. But there was an odd look on his face. I didn't understand it until he asked, "Was Harry's mom good at potions? It usually takes an expert to make potion balls."

"She was better than James, who was the best of the four of us," I said as I studied him carefully. "Why?"

"I just wondered if Mr. Snape..." Something on the ball must have caught his eye, because Teddy backed into the sunlight as he held it up. "He did. He made this. Look!"

I stared at the blue liquid in the clear ball. In the sunlight, letters became visible on the ball. "HBP. Half-blood Prince. But why? Why would Severus make such a complex thing for me?"

"For Lily? To give back some of the compassion shown him when James saved his life? Because he may have hated the wolf, but he knew you did too?" Teddy smiled at me. "No matter the reason, it shows how much everyone is wrong about him. If he's capable of this when he says he hates you, just think what he might be capable of if you give him a little love."

Suddenly, Teddy hugged me. "No wonder you find him attractive. No matter what he looks like on the outside, inside he looks like a good man. I think Mom would approve."

I hugged him back, then cautioned, "It's not going to happen anytime soon, if at all. He has to accept love, and that is very hard for him. But I'm glad you approve of me trying to give him some."

Then I hugged my son again and guided him to lunch in Hogsmeade.

====

So I was far from pleased as I walked over to help Teddy confront Molly, as I had promised earlier. I was certainly not displeased with my son. I was upset that we were correct about the Weasley matriarch.

"Molly, that was my father's cottage, and my home before I taught at Hogwarts the first time. His grandparents and his mother all spent some time relaxing there at some point. Their memories are embedded in the walls. Why shouldn't Ted be surrounded by his family during the wedding, just as Victoire will be surrounded by hers?"

I put my hand on Teddy's shoulder as Bill glared at his mother. Fleur appeared confused, as if she didn't know why this argument started.

I knew it was because of my curse, at least partially. The older Weasleys had become uneasy around me as soon as my condition had become public. Arthur had lost a lot of his reserve when Greyback bit his eldest son. But his wife never did. And her dislike of my condition made all of us uncomfortable.

But her words were turning uncomfortable into explosive. Looking around, I could see that Molly already had the pack incensed. Teddy was theirs, in a way. He was my son, the golden child and one of those they would consider for Alpha when I was gone. My people were only holding back from attacking Molly because I was staying relatively calm.

But then she made a bad statement ten times worse when she opened her mouth again.

Before Arthur could stop her, she marched over to Teddy and stared him down. "I suppose you will invite this ragtag group to the wedding as well." She waved her hand toward everyone in the room. "You will be the one keeping them under control. I certainly won't do it!"

A collective gasp went out across the room. I could hear Daryl scramble to hold a few pack members back. But I couldn't look away from my son. I was waiting for him to tell me how he wanted me to help him with her.

The couple tried to reason with her first. In fact, Victoire was starting to argue with her grandmother when Molly came over to me.

"And I suppose you will bring the spy as your guest. My granddaughter won't be safe around him. I won't allow it." Molly's face turned red as she spoke to me in a harsh, clipped voice.

She went from insulting my strong and proud pack to insulting someone we strove to protect because of his vulnerability. That made me see red.

I barely restrained a growl as I looked toward my son to let him know that this just became my fight.

Teddy nodded solemnly in reply. So I attacked.

"That is a man who I would be proud to call friend!" I nearly shouted out as I turned back to Molly. "He sacrificed himself many times over for Hogwarts, for our society, and for some reason, me! He deserves every kindness I can give him! And yes, if he wishes to attend the wedding, I will have him as my guest."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Severus come near us. But I couldn't take my eyes off Molly to greet him or reassure him that what I said was true. The woman had gone too far this time. Whether she realized it or not, I was all that kept her from being torn apart in a very real sense. I believed Dora would have found Molly most unattractive at that point. In fact, a glance up told me that Molly's husband did too.

As if she hadn't said enough, Molly had one more blow for me and mine. "Does your Alpha know you invited that traitor to dinner? He might kick you out of the pack for doing so!" 

I had told the pack when I became Alpha, that I'd have to plan carefully for the day I would reveal my pack identity to the world. With my child, the pack, and Hogwarts, I balanced too many things to show off all my accomplishments without careful consideration. But Molly had me so angry, and so wanting to defend Severus, Teddy, Victoire and the pack, that I was at the end of my rope. Consideration be damned. 

So I turned and looked at the people I led, the young, the old, the wolves, the humans, who let me help bring fairness and security to their world. They looked back at me with complete trust. 

They knew without me saying. Our world was about to change. They accepted that with the trust that they had used when accepting me. So I nodded to Daryl and said, "It's time." A moment later, the entire pack, including Harry and Neville, fell to one knee in unison. 

I could feel my eyes widen as I stared at them in shock. I didn't require a show of fealty. I never even asked for the little bows Daryl and many of the others gave me every day. But I knew those bows and this display meant they respected my leadership, so I restrained my gasp of surprise somehow. Instead, I let them know their loyalty was not misplaced. I turned back to Molly, and revealed my pack charm as Teddy pulled out his. 

I let Molly gasp for both of us. She deserved the shock and the stammering that came with it. But when I looked at Severus out of the corner of my eye, I worried. He began to look somewhat green for a moment, as if he too was quite shocked. But luckily, I wasn't his only defender. Minvera came over and put a hand on his arm. After a deep breath, he began to calm. I nodded my thanks to her as I tried to hide the trembling in my hands.

But the surprises were not done.

I had authorized pack charms for Bill, Fleur and Victoire the month before. They had accepted, but at the time, had not chosen their constellations. Apparently they had registered them with Daryl. Because after Canis Major and Canis Minor were revealed for all to see, three Lupus constellations sent another set of gasps reverberating around the room.


	5. Remus

I would never call Severus weak. Never. But I believed that the wars and whatever happened when he disappeared had changed him in some way. He was more vulnerable now, somehow. That vulnerability made me act in ways I didn't expect to. In fact, the favors and the Wolfsbane deal were first and foremost ways to lessen the haunted looks in his eyes.

So I worried immediately when I turned away from my son's new additions to the family and found him gone. Minerva saw my frantic expression. She quickly informed me that he had fled right after Harry had given Molly a piece of his mind and a promise to tell his wife what her mother was really like.

I suddenly got a chill down my spine. Because I assumed my revelation had disturbed Severus in some way. I had to know why. I had to make sure I hadn't hurt him. But running after Severus Snape most often got you snapped at, rather than the answers you wanted.

With that in mind, I thought it best to give him some time to calm down. I could do so without worry. I knew where he was, where he had to be. At his shop, working on the first dose of Wolfsbane. From what Neville told me, he was still very much afraid of our alter egos. So he would not neglect the potion that would make the wolves less dangerous.

In the meantime, I had an obligation to give Molly Weasley a proper rebuke for her insensitive comments. But when I turned back to her, she already appeared rather lost and contrite. Because her eyes were scanning my pack and noting their appearance. The revelation that I was not the only werewolf of advanced status seemed to do much of the work. But I suspected that her son's show of trust in me, symbolically taking on my name, started the change in her.

I watched her amazement as she discovered that my people were not who she thought they were. Among the pack were two Ministry officials, a lawyer for muggles, an electronics expert, and a medi-witch. When Molly stared at Bill's new partner in the Ministry's Cursebreaking Department, Ned Frowes, and realized he was also one of my lieutenants, she sat down heavily on a chair.

"What happened to Bill hurt..." She couldn't say anything further, but I could feel her words. Because they had also been my father's. Bill's assault by Greyback had been frightening and disturbing. I knew that she had been worried that it would change her son. From the look in her eye, I suspected that she had never let go of that fear. She had lost one child to the war. To lose another to a curse was in some ways worse. Because they were still there but you could do nothing for them, at least in some cases.

But that wasn't was how the werewolf curse worked, and somebody needed to finally make her see that.

So I pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. When she didn't try to move away, I took her hand gently. "Did anybody tell you that Greyback cursed me too?"

Molly nodded as she looked down at our joined hands.

I kept my voice soft and gentle, as if I were teaching the first years on their first day. "I was four when he did it, as a way to punish my dad. My father had firmly believed werewolves were evil, unintelligent beasts. Even after I had been bit, he waited months for me to start turning into an awful person. But I was just a kid who was as scared of the wolf as his father was. On top of that, I became scared of my father because he yelled and backed away anytime I did anything remotely wrong. My mom, the muggle, finally talked some sense into him. Because she was the one who came out in the mornings after the full moon. She used muggle medicine to heal my wounds and would bring me a new toy, because I would often be crying over the one the wolf tore apart that night."

I had never hid my history from Molly. But it only started to make an impact now, because I made reference to the child I had been. And Molly Weasley was an expert in children. I expected that fact would help me now.

She didn't let me down. "You poor boy. I bet you felt scared and cold many nights. Why didn't they find a way to keep you inside? What if the wolf ran away?"

"The yard was warded, so he couldn't escape. That was the best they could do. Because they found that if I was inside, the wolf attacked me rather viciously. If it could run a little, it tended to treat me better."

The mother of seven children looked up at me in horror. "But when you went to school, you were inside..."

I nodded. "That is why my best friends became animagi. So they could let the wolf outside. So they could help me be a boy, instead of just the victim of the beast."

Molly looked at her eldest son, who had come to stand next to her. His Lupus constellation charm swung gently as he leaned down to kiss her brow. "I'm still here, Mom. I never left. By joining the pack, I can help the people who helped me adjust to the curse. And Victoire will have plenty of family now, whenever she needs."

Molly nodded and hugged her son, then turned to me as Teddy hugged me from behind. Her eyes softened as my child subtly let her know that he would defend me, if needed. He was very protective of me when my history with Greyback came up. I could see it in her eyes as she recognized the same determination with which she has defended her children. So she finally shook herself and focused on something else. "I might be of some help to your chef. He was very good, but the potatoes were cut too thin in the stew."

I chuckled. "When Severus starts instructing Teddy and Al, I'll definitely suggest that Dorian turns to you. Last time I checked, Al did most of the chopping in the kitchen. But today he was ensuring that Severus didn't get overwhelmed making our potion."

The woman's face turned pained again at the mention of the former spy's name. "Is that man truly safe? He was a Death Eater before he was a spy. And he always looked at us like we weren't worth his time."

I patted her hand reassuringly. "Severus simply has trouble relating to people. Misinformation has made it even harder for him. After Albus Dumbledore forgave him for turning to Voldemort, he suffered to atone for his past. And he's still suffering for it. He has paid more than enough at this point. He won't hurt you. The worst you will get from him is a tongue lashing. Let him be." Although I looked at her kindly, I said my last words with some bite.

Molly studied me for a moment. Then, as if her outbursts never occurred, she simply said, "You've been trying to help him, haven't you?  You will have a hard time making him stop beating on himself, if that's why you're so concerned about him. Letting him run won't stop the beast inside him. I know, I blamed myself for my brothers' deaths even though I did nothing wrong. But his situation is worse. Nobody knows if what he did as a Death Eater helped cause the Potters' deaths."

I nodded. "But I have to try to help him. From what I have been able to figure out, he had little or no involvement in James and Lily's deaths. And he's paid for any transgression many times over. My forgiveness may not mean much to him, but he deserves it anyway."

Molly squeezed my hand. "He's lucky to have you."

I wasn't sure about that, but I knew I wanted some of his luck to change. So with the community house finally much calmer, I stood up and went to put my words into actions.

==== 

I expected to have to annoy Severus with loud knocks to convince him to let me into the shop. But when I touched the door, it opened. So I entered cautiously, in case he had been so agitated that he forgot about it.

"Close the door behind you," the potions master said calmly from the prep table, where he faced away from me and towards the cauldron of Wolfsbane. "It's easier to work without a draft."

I obeyed his request, then sat in the chair at the end of the table so I could see his face. I knew from our last conversation here that I wouldn't receive an invitation to anything. But I also knew I would be staying here awhile to see to his comfort, so I didn't see a problem with seeking my own.

His comfort began with giving him something to grumble about. Making myself at home seemed a good place to start.

Luckily, it was still easy to bait him. "I expected that you'd eventually show up here tonight no matter what I did or said. But what makes you think you can stay all night?" Severus glared at me.

I hid a smile. He didn't say 'get out'. Those words were usually a sign of deep anxiety. He wasn't as disturbed by my revelation as I feared. So I played his game a little to make him more comfortable. I complained right back at him.

"The fact that you won't stop grousing at me or disparaging me to my pack until I explain every little reason you didn't know it was mine until today. I'm just going to stay until I tell you everything you think you need to know." I leaned back in the chair and watched as his stiff hands paused in stirring the potion. "And if you stir that by yourself all night you will ache worse than I do after a rough moon."

"I don't need your help!" Severus snapped.

"We need your expertise," I growled back. "That means we need you well. Or would you rather trust our sanity to the Ministry's Potions Department?"

I remembered him checking that my mind was still present periodically during the full moons at St. Mungo's, as if he had expected their potion to fail. He probably found the Ministry's Wolfsbane even more suspect. There were times even the pack worried, because we could feel the wolves much closer to our minds than they should have been on the full moon nights. It was one of the reasons I was finally able to convince the others to make the deal with our potions master.

"When did you learn to manipulate people?" The other man sighed. "You usually cowered in school, and even in the faculty room when you taught for the first time."

I leaned back and put on the mental mask I used when writing missives to agencies as Moonchild, the pack Alpha. I figured it might give me some protection from his tongue. So my voice came out rather sharp. "When I figured out that if my son was going to be proud of who he was, I had to be proud of who I was. And no matter what you thought of my friends, they taught me a lot about acceptance and getting what you want. I think they'd be glad that I finally figured out they were trying to make me stronger when they convinced me to spell the Slytherin common room red in fourth year."

To my surprise, Severus didn't dress me down. He just raised an eyebrow. "You did that? That explains the precision of the spell. I remember being quite impressed with the shadings even though the color gave me a headache until Narcissa found the counterspell."

I nodded. "The spell was the easy part for me. It was a variation of the one I used to hide some of my wounds from my father. James insisted, however, that I persuade Goyle to let me into the common room. That took some work, even though he tended to be easily fooled. I had to practice sounding convinced that Lucius had invited me to their Quidditch party."

Watching the potions master for a moment, I realized how tired he looked. So I stood up and took the stirring rod from him. "Tell me how to stir, then ask your questions. You can rest while I talk."

Severus agreed, almost too easily. His hands must have been hurting rather badly. So I was not surprised when he asked the least difficult question first. Given his pain, I had a feeling he wasn't ready for the main question yet. Neither was I.

But even the easy question had him looking at me with a little fear in his eyes. "If you are Alpha, why didn't you negotiate with me for the potion? Why did you let your underlings do it?"

I concentrated on following the instructions he had given me, once clockwise then twice counterclockwise, before I answered his question with one of my own. "If I had run that meeting, would you have treated us fairly?"

Severus looked shocked for a moment, as if he thought me so dumb to not know he would have made a show of hating me. But my intelligence was one of the few things about me he hadn't tried to deny. He sighed. "Probably not. Part of me would have wanted to give you whatever you wanted, because of the ways you had helped me. But the stronger part would have pushed you away because of my pride. And it most likely would have cost me the shop."

I nodded, then reached into my pocket for a piece of chocolate, which I handed to him. "It's American, and rather bitter. It seemed more to your tastes than mine. Dorian had wanted to put it in the rhubarb pie, but I wasn't sure they'd go well together."

Severus unwrapped it cautiously, but lost his skeptical look when he put it in his mouth, so I continued. "I could see you were having trouble with your shop. And with the Ministry's potion getting worse after Grady left to teach at Hogwarts, we needed to resolve the issues quickly. So I spent a whole weekend locked in the community center with the pack until we could come to an agreement about it."

"Why didn't you appeal to Grady?"

I gave him a look he was familiar with, one that told the receiver that they forgot to think. "Making enough Wolfsbane for one while teaching is reasonable. You didn't seem to suffer for it. Making enough for thirty would have been impossible. Plus, Francis told me that he had made a lot of mistakes while making the potion, most of which he caught. But he feared that the ones he didn't catch would harm someone."

Severus countered with a withering expression. "So you magnanimously decided to give me the task."

Not wanting to start a fight, I held up the hand not stirring the cauldron. "You needed business and money. We needed the potion. I considered it a fair trade."

"People do seem to be more willing to come in here now. They often come in to find out what Moonchild is like. Even though I couldn't tell them anything until now, they'd often stay to buy a potion." His words were suddenly less confrontational. 

I smiled. "Then we did the right thing. I just regret that it took so long. But a few pack members weren't sure they could handle the higher price we knew we'd have to pay."

Severus snorted. It sounded like he was actually amused by something. "Well, they should thank your negotiator. He did an excellent job of whittling me down to a fair price."

Ah, that was it. The negotiations had been more intricate than they had really needed to be. Harry suggested that it should be drawn out to hide the fact that I knew how to deal with Severus. But Daryl was especially good at acting his part. So I gave him credit. "Daryl's a part-time lawyer as well as my second. I think he could argue the Wizengamot out of their fancy robes. So I, in no uncertain terms, told him you had to make a fifteen percent profit. Because that is a better deal than we'd get anywhere but the Ministry, Daryl was happy he talked you down to exactly that."

Severus actually seemed pained as he admitted, "Most potion makers mark it up 100% because they ruin ingredients along the way. I don't. Even the aconite Verdi ruined isn't lost. I need it chopped that fine to make Poppy's disinfectant."

I nodded as I went back to stirring for a few moments. I wondered if the other man was actually starting to have sympathy for some of us. But I still got quite a shock when I glanced up and found Severus studying me critically, with an oddly worried look in his eyes. "What happened to you while I was gone? You are different. I see the confidence, which looks good on you. But if I had caused the anger in you that Moonchild displayed in that letter to Shacklebolt five years ago over the lack of employment accommodations in the new laws, Lily would have thrown me off the Hogwarts Astronomy tower. Because that isn't like you. I would have thought neither were your positions at Hogwarts and in your pack. We both know that though you have plenty of expertise, leadership was not one of them when we were young. What changed?"

So we came to the hard question. 

"Can you stir for an hour?" I asked as I mentally prepared myself for the tale I came here to reveal. "This is the first time I'll have told the story in it's entirety. And it's not an easy one to tell."

Severus put up a hand. "I was going to have you stop after the next stir. The cauldron needs to sit for two hours again. Have a piece of your chocolate. You know how bad I am at sympathy, but I am at least willing to listen."

I nodded and did as he suggested, because I knew I wasn't doing this just for his curiosity. I needed to finally admit how I got to this point.


	6. Severus

Part of me wondered why I was so concerned as I watched Lupin struggle with himself. But another part wanted to lay a hand on his shoulder until he stopped his fidgeting, in the same the way my touch had calmed the wolf in St. Mungo's.

But he seemed determined to struggle, so I let him do it. To keep myself from interfering, I grabbed the teapot off the windowsill near the table and went about making tea.

After five minutes, he calmed and I could feel his gaze on me. So I looked up and waited.

He sat back down at the end of the table, and finally started with, "When you disappeared, I reacted badly. Mourning Dora was difficult, raising Teddy was overwhelming, and the accolades everyone was trying to hand me were a mockery of what happened to us during the war. The stress of it all was starting me on the path to a breakdown like the one I had when Dora was pregnant. My worry for you just compounded everything. So I grabbed Teddy and headed for the cottage.

"With a little room to breathe, I found that I could actually enjoy being a father. Teddy and I had time to get to know each other, and I could face my guilt over his mother's death better when he was the only one who heard my anguish. Wales itself was comforting to me because it had been my mother's home. Winter had started by the time we arrived, but I took Teddy out for walks almost every day despite the cold. The air cleared my head, and helped me plan our future. Teddy seemed to like our walks too. Probably because there were so many different things to look at, and they were all beautiful. The sights helped me too. Our surroundings let me shed some of the ugliness that was dragging me down."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he remembered. "One day, we went out in the early morning, just after daybreak. I had had trouble sleeping that night. Nightmares plagued me. So I wasn't really paying attention to anything but putting one foot in front of the other. But as we headed towards the lake, something startled me enough to become alert. I thought I saw someone running past us, about thirty feet away. They appeared to be stumbling. A moment later, I saw something follow behind the person and push them to the ground."

He took the teacup I gave him, but had to put it on the table. His hand was trembling slightly. I stayed quiet, with my eyes focused on him. I began to realize that this was a terrible story. I had told my own terrible story long ago, to Albus Dumbledore. I knew from that experience that it was best to not interrupt. During my story, I had paused a few times. So Albus had given me tea and moments to rest. But he hadn't commented until I had purged myself of the pain the secrets forced on me. I decided it would be best to give Lupin the same consideration.

So I just quietly pulled a chair near the werewolf and sat down.

A moment later, he continued. "I grabbed Teddy out of his pram and ran towards the lake to see if I could offer help. At that moment, I had thought it was a wild animal that tackled the person. Of course, taking a child into such a fray was dangerous. But the war had just ended. I was still feeling the need to defeat enemies."

"When I reached the lake shore, I found a teenager lying on the ground. He looked to be a year or two younger than Harry. He was scraped up, scarred, and bleeding from a wound in his side. I think he tried to say 'Stay away.' until he saw my face. He seemed focused on my cheek."

I looked at his cheek, the one that still bore the claw marks of his other side. For no reason I understood, I reached out to touch the scars. Lupin seemed to hold his breath as I did. At first, I thought he didn't want me near them. But as he closed his eyes and almost leaned into my hand, I wondered if his wife had admired his scars.

But I was not his wife. Although I did admire his resolve to be human in the face of his beast, I didn't want him to mock me because I still had trouble with mine. So I let my hand drop.

Lupin's eyes opened slowly. His hand twitched for a moment before he nodded. "He saw the wolf in me. And a moment later, his eyes flashed amber, letting me see his. So I asked him what happened. He told me that his Alpha had punished him for disobedience. In fact, the Alpha had to punish the entire pack, as they had not done as he had asked.

"When I asked him what required punishment that left him bleeding, he said they had been ordered to steal sheep from Janus Heron, who lived up the road from the cabin. Janus was such a sympathetic person that he would probably *give* a sheep to a person he caught trying to steal. The guilty expression on the boy's face told me that he most likely knew that. His protruding rib cage suggested that Janus might have offered three sheep the minute the boy walked onto his land.

"I wasn't immune to those impulses, especially after knowing what it was like to be close to starvation in the years before Albus called me back to Hogwarts. So I tucked Teddy firmly into my side and waved my wand to levitate the boy out of the snow. He protested the whole way back to the cottage. He was convinced that his Alpha would kill me and Teddy just because I planned to heal his wound and give him a bowl of soup.

"I probably should have paid more attention to his words and that wound on his side. I had heard similar statements before, and had known them to be true. But Harry was away from the Dursleys and wasn't going back. Sirius was dead, and was no longer at the mercy of his parents. So it didn't occur to me that the boy was fearing more than a stern lecture."

At this, I nodded my head. Although I wasn't often abused during my youth before Hogwarts (I was most often ignored instead), the times I had been were so frightening that I went out of my way to avoid whatever had caused it for weeks on end. I made matters worse by saying nothing to Lily in case she came to defend me. I knew she would be hurt if she did. My understanding of the boy's predicament must have been apparent because Lupin's hand crept near mine before retreating to pick up his tea.

I stifled an unexpected sigh. I didn't want Lupin's comfort. I was actually trying to provide him enough to allow me to understand what I signed on for when I agreed to make Wolfsbane for his group.

The pause my worry gave him seemed to make it easier for him to continue. "The boy left without even telling me his name, his fear was that great. So I went back to raising my child and contemplating my life for another week. Then a group of four teenagers knocked on my door frantically the afternoon of the full moon. I invited them in, as the amber in their eyes and thin figures made me suspect that they were from the boy's pack.

"After I calmed them down and gave them each a bowl of soup, the tallest of the boys told me that after I had sent their packmate back to them, their Alpha, Falcher, had beaten the boy until he confessed where he had gone and who he had been with. Daryl, the boy, fearing for the safety of me and my child, didn't tell his Alpha my name or that I was also a werewolf. But apparently Falcher was better at spying than he was at feeding his charges. The night before, he had come back to their cabin in the woods, boasting that he would take me down during the full moon. The boys all knew that I had not come near their pack, so there was no reason to think I was any threat to his authority. But from what I could tell when they spoke about their Alpha, just the fact that I was an adult werewolf near his territory was enough for him to consider me a threat."

Taking another pause, Lupin leaned back in his chair and asked me, "Was Voldemort like that too?"

I nodded. "He made Lucius Malfoy bow down to him repeatedly, and show his loyalty in ways that would make most house elves cringe. Lucius was one of the few who would be dangerous to him if he changed sides."

Lupin made a soft scoffing sound. "I can't see Malfoy being the only one he felt threatened by. How badly did he torture you to try to keep you loyal?"

I sighed. My deflection away from myself made Lupin more worried about me, not less. So I gave him the truth, in a way that would make sense to him. "If the Cruciatus Curse left scars, I'd have as many, if not more, than you."

This time, Lupin's hand laid over mine for a second. I found it warm, and the feel of magic in his fingers made me shiver, but not in fear. That magic could possibly do things for me that...I stopped myself before my mind went any further down that path.

Lupin's eyes seemed to soften before he started to speak again. "Once I realized the boys believed what they were saying, I opened the floo in the living room and sent Teddy through it. I had already told Harry I was sending Teddy to him for the full moon, and luckily, it was no trouble to send him early. Harry then sent me my last bottle of the potion. I took it before I went back into the kitchen. Screwing up my courage, I told the boys that I wanted to meet with their Alpha before the moon rose."

"They begged me not to. They told me they had swiped a Prophet at a store in town, so they knew who I was. They believed Falcher was capable of kidnapping Teddy, or even going after Harry. And they were convinced that if I went to see the Alpha, that'd he'd kill me. But by this point, I was just as concerned that he'd kill them. I couldn't walk away and let that happen. So I insisted on going to their cabin. To force them to follow, I started walking out the cottage door before they could protest."

Lupin ran a hand through his hair in agitation. "I had reason to be that worried. When we got to their cabin, Falcher opened the door. The furious look on his face didn't concern me as much as the fact that I could see Daryl lying on the floor behind him, most likely unconscious. The boys must have hidden the newspaper from their Alpha, because when he yelled at me, he repeatedly asked who I was and why I had come to steal his pack. Of course, my insistence that I wanted no such thing didn't even make him pause.

"So I backed out of the doorway, hoping to draw him outside and give the boys enough room to run if he turned violent again. He took the bait, but after a few more minutes of yelling and easily deflected fist-swipes at me, the moon rose. We all fell to the ground at approximately the same time to transform. It was probably a good thing. I don't believe I'd have saved Daryl if Falcher had finished transforming before I did. Because immediately after the transformation, Falcher stood up and ran into the cabin, straight at Daryl.

"His snarl told me that even his wolf used the pack, instead of taking care of it. So I immediately followed Falcher and put myself in between him and Daryl. That should have been enough to stop him. I could see Falcher had not been sired by Greyback. All of Greyback's first generation progeny are bigger and stronger than average. Falcher's wolf should have backed down because of that alone. Instead, it chose to go after the youngest boy, Ned. His wolf was much smaller than average, because he wasn't fully grown. So I moved to protect Ned. But as I did, the Alpha slipped past me and started towards Daryl again. His jaws were cocked at an angle from which he could have torn out Daryl's neck and killed him. And Daryl's wolf, being unconscious, would have been unable to defend itself. So I..."

Lupin shuddered hard, but couldn't get the words out. So after a moment, I saved him the struggle. "You killed Falcher."

The werewolf nodded and shuddered again. "I slammed him against the brick fireplace, head first. I knew he was dead the moment he collapsed. It didn't bother me then. All I felt was satisfaction that I had kept him from killing Daryl. And that the boys no longer had to live in fear of him. But, a moment later, the teenage wolves put their muzzles to the ground in front of me. I knew then that I had changed my life as well as theirs. So I reminded myself of the argument I had had with Harry after Teddy was born. I told myself I had just been given five more children, and I couldn't neglect them because that frightened me. So I laid down next to Daryl, to try to warm him, and encouraged the others to do the same. 

"In the morning, I used the cabin's floo to contact Hogwarts, and sent Daryl straight to Poppy. The only reason I had been safe in St. Mungo's care was because Harry had immediately declared me a war hero. I didn't dare trust a young unknown werewolf to them. Once Daryl was safe in the infirmary, Ned bowed his head to me, shivering in what seemed like fear instead of the cold. After a moment, he asked, 'Alpha, I need to check on our brothers and sisters. Please, may I?'

"'You're all related?' I asked in return, my brain still rather muddled by the transformation. But when the four of them shook their heads, I tried again to figure out what Ned was saying. 'More werewolves?' This time they nodded. Dorian spoke up then and told me they were all werewolves between the ages of five and ten. Falcher had made them into wolves after kidnapping them from their families, in Ireland, France, and oddly enough, Egypt. The older boys, realizing that they were barely surviving with their Alpha, found a way to fake the deaths of the five new children, then send them to Dorian's grandmother to be cared for. So the boys were starving partly because Falcher abused them and partly because any food they did have, they sent to Lia for the little ones."

Lupin leaned back after this, seemingly exhausted by his tale. His voice was quieter when he said, "Of course I went with them to check on the younger children. They were fine, but as young werewolves tend to be, also instantly aware of the change in the pack. They surrounded me as soon as the door opened. Lia bowed to me for them. And suddenly, I had eleven children. The first thing I did after I left the house was contact Minerva and Kingsley. One child was a struggle for me at times. Eleven was probably more than even Molly could handle long term. So I created a network of people to help me care for, educate and support them. Kingsley was able to find the parents of the Egyptian brother and sister. Being muggles, they didn't really understand what had happened to their children. But somehow, Harry was able to help them move to Britain, where they became part of the pack the moment they stepped off the plane. The others either didn't know who their parents were, or knew they had been killed.

"So I spent nearly ten years being father, teacher, advocate and model for my child and his new brothers and sisters. I originally hid my identity as Alpha from all but the pack and the trusted network for the children's safety. I knew I could become a target for the remaining Death Eaters and sympathizers. So I didn't even show myself as part of the pack until Kingsley told me it was safe to do so. It was easy enough to stay hidden because we used the cottage as the pack base, and it was well out of the way of prying eyes. In those years, both Kingsley and Minerva gave me and the older boys odd jobs to help support all of us. But when the older boys started to find careers, Minerva began to pressure me to return to Hogwarts. Ned could see I wanted to, even though Daryl insisted that the school couldn't be trusted. So Ned found us the building for the community center and I created the Moonchild persona to help Kingsley change the laws concerning werewolves. Then I accepted Minerva's offer."

"So that letter about accommodations was fake?" I asked, sneering a little. I didn't like being fooled.

The other man laughed. "No, that one was real. Kingsley hadn't listened to me well when I told him what the proper accommodations for werewolves were. The letter caught him by surprise, which is what I intended. So then we were able to sit down and talk them over again."

I nodded, relaxing again. But I couldn't help my curiosity. So I asked, "Where did the constellations come from?"

"From a game all of us would play on summer nights. One of the children would point out a constellation that they recognized from my old astronomy books. Then I would tell them the legend about it and we would discuss the implications of the story. It's easier to discuss morals when the ones who are hurt are not real." Lupin's smile quickly made me realize that his time raising the werewolves had been good for him.

They also seemed to have benefited. "It apparently worked. Molly Weasley's words were the only ones I've heard disparaging your pack."

"They work hard to keep it that way. I'm not perfect. But as Daryl keeps saying, what they had before me was much worse than I could ever be. So the pack works hard to live up to my standards. And once we started rescuing other werewolves, my original pack members became the teachers. So they have to set good examples."

At this point, Lupin appeared completely exhausted, and seemed to be finished with his narrative. So I stood up to check the potion.

When I turned back to him, I found him asleep in the chair. Knowing what the story had cost him in energy and dignity (because he seemed to believe he shouldn't have killed Falcher. I knew better. There would have been more than one death in that cabin if he hadn't.), I transfigured the chair into a cot large enough for his long form and turned off all but one small light. Then I set an alarm for my next check on the potion, transfigured another cot, and laid down next to him.

I told myself it was only in case the story caused him nightmares that might make him thrash and knock over the preparation table. But fooling myself by saying I didn't care about the man I gazed on worked less every time I tried it. By this point, even Sirius Black, the man who believed I was born without a heart, would have been able to see the truth.


	7. Daryl

The dawn had just broken when I was awoken by Baby Brother's voice coming from the end of the bed. "Dad didn't make it home last night, Daryl. Can you find him and check on him?"

A moment later, I sat up with a start as my heart leaped out of my chest. Those were the words I dreaded to hear. Our leader was missing. Was Alpha in danger? Did I need to grab the others so we could rescue him?

As I focused on the Patronus staring at me, I realized that Ted didn't sound all that worried. So when my wife Allie woke enough to ask me if I wanted the cell phone to call Monsieur Harry, I sighed and patted her shoulder. "I think I know where he is. And if I'm right, he's safe."

But I wasn't sure of the condition he'd be in beyond safe if he was in the potions shop. Our Alpha was not like my first one. He didn't hide behind a veneer of bravado and anger. He didn't parade around showing off his physique or his strength. Remus Lupin showed his uncertainty and often *asked* his pack for help, and expected us to ask for help in return. But there were still times he didn't want to admit his weaknesses. I believed this would be one of those times. He and the Prince played such intricate games with pride and evasion that I doubted he would tell the potions master about his arthritis. He would most likely deny any mention of it, even though the way the Prince moved through the community house last night made me think he had it too. So after dressing quickly, I grabbed a bottle of the painkiller Alpha used from the stock I kept in my kitchen, then headed to Diagon Alley.

The Prince must have been expecting one of the pack, because he opened the door immediately at my knock, even though it was three hours before the shop was supposed to open. He was rather calm as I showed him my constellation charm, Scorpius, and walked inside. Our potions master for once didn't try to sneer or belittle anybody or anything. He just stepped back with a respectful mini-bow of his head. "He's sleeping in the corner," he said quietly as he shut the door behind me.

As I walked to the back to stand over our dozing leader, I wondered at him. He wasn't fearless, nor confident. He was prone to bouts of depression and anxiety. But I would never challenge him or ask for another Alpha. In fact, I had spent much of my time as Beta ensuring he was calm enough to think. The bouts of intelligence and cleverness that resulted from those thoughts more than made up for his flaws. And the strength of his cleverness was matched only by his compassion.

====

The last thing I remembered before my world changed was Falcher beating me to a bloody pulp. So when I opened my eyes in a strange hospital, I was instantly on the defensive. But the nurse who stood above me just tutted as I braced myself to run out of the room. "You won't get very far, young man. Those ribs aren't healed enough to let you draw a deep breath yet. And I certainly don't want to tell Remus Lupin that one of his new charges suffered more injuries because I couldn't keep him in bed."

I stared up at the nurse incredulously. "Remus Lupin? Who is he?"

But just then, my pack came into the small hospital, surrounding the man who had rescued me a week before. The man was talking to a broader man in Auror robes. He sounded nervous, tired, but somehow relieved all at once. "Kingsley, I killed him. As a wolf. You're telling me there will be no repercussions from that?"

The Auror shook his head. "It was self defense as well as defense of the boy. It didn't matter what form either of you were in. That man was about to attack. You did what you needed to."

My rescuer's form trembled a little before he turned to me. That was when I noticed he was carrying Jaro, the five year old Egyptian werewolf, in his arms. The man's frown turned into a smile as he focused on me. "Hi, Daryl. We went to visit the young ones after I sent you to Madame Pomfrey. They are all worried about you and send you a loud 'Get Well'. Except this one here. Jaro insisted on coming to take care of you himself even though it meant missing lunch."

I stared at the sleeping boy as the man came over to the bed and put Jaro in with me. Jaro protested in his sleep until I ran a hand through his hair. Then I knew. Falcher was gone. This man, Remus Lupin, was our new leader.

So I bowed my head and muttered, "Alpha." I made sure he heard the defiance in my tone. For I could see that he was not strong, as Falcher had told us an Alpha needed to be. He was not angry as all werewolves should be. He had shown his weaknesses to all around him. I decided then that I'd never obey him. He was not worthy of being an Alpha.

I didn't realize by showing his weaknesses, he was also showing me his strength. For one of his main strengths was his ability to rally others. He didn't say anything until I looked up at him again. But his reply changed me in a way that Falcher never could. "Beta, I need your help."

That wasn't the end of his schemes, nor even the best of them. That honor was bestowed on the work we did to support the twelve of us. Though the five younger children were easily placed in grammar schools and magical education within months of his becoming Alpha, the five of us who had stayed with Falcher declared ourselves too old for school.

Because Alpha had already told us that he had once been a teacher, we were surprised when he just shrugged and said, "Then you will need to get jobs to help pay for expenses."

So we were assigned tasks at Hogwarts and the Ministry, or helped Alpha with his research for the books people requested he edit while he raised Ted. I should have been suspicious when all of us changed tasks every few months. But I was too busy learning the tasks well enough to get paid to realize we were actually getting a rather haphazard education along with the galleons. It was only when I was twenty and Madame Hermione asked me if I'd rather go to a magical apprenticeship or a muggle university that I realized what he had done.

I went to both so that I could help my Alpha scheme in as many ways as possible.

====

His latest scheme, finding ways to make the Half-Blood Prince content (nobody was sure if the man could actually be happy with that sneer he wore), was his most intricate and difficult. When he started eight years ago, the five wolf elders gathered at my house and we asked each other why he was taking on such an impossible task. It appeared Severus Snape hated our Alpha, at least from the history we could find at Hogwarts and by talking to a few war heroes. So why was Alpha expending so much energy to help him? He could afford to pay for the man's basic needs. And the man needed employment, so there was benefit to smoothing relations with those who needed his services. But why bother?

The first time we watched the Prince walk into Diagon Alley, we understood. He was treated like we all had been before Kingsley Shacklebolt took over the Ministry. Though Monsieur Harry had told us that Snape was a hero, the witches and wizards in Diagon Alley mocked and jeered at him. Those people denied that he had been a spy for Headmaster Dumbledore, they denied that he had become the Hogwarts' headmaster to try to keep the children as safe as possible. They denied that Dumbledore had committed suicide by Snape's hand. We struggled to figure out why at first. But human nature tended not to hide. We soon realized it was basic, and as the potions master himself would say, idiotic.

The whispers behind his back were all about his unusual appearance. The people didn't believe he was a hero because he didn't fit their standards of handsomeness. What was ugly must have been evil. We wanted to yell at those who believed that. All werewolves knew that was a lie. Because there were few things uglier than a half transformed man/beast.

So we helped Alpha keep the worst of the mockery from the Prince, and gave him space so they could continue their strange game of favors. That was when I began to notice in Snape what Alpha called attractiveness. The goodness in the heart of a place, event, or person. Snape was attractive when he was doing something for Remus Lupin. He still sneered. He denied doing anything remotely nice. But we heard that he checked the Ministry's Wolfsbane for months while the Potions Department was under Francis Grady. I saw him appeal to Andromeda Tonks for a few of Sirius Black's possessions that she had, then Ned saw them lying on the floor in front of Alpha's chamber door at Hogwarts.

We were certain there were other favors we missed before the big one, his direct involvement in our potion, came to fruition. Alpha's side of that scheme was well thought out, and well played (if I do say so). But I may have been the only one who noticed the Prince's scheme. For I could see the notes that he carried and thought he hid from sharp eyes. There were diagrams and estimates of how to make money from the Wolfsbane ingredients suppliers (with potions or ingredient prepping) if we could not afford to pay for more than the supplies.

He almost played that hand, too. I stopped asking for a lower price when we reached the one that Alpha thought was fair for everyone. But the Prince stuttered for a moment and almost offered a price lower than the one I stopped at. So I shook my head subtly and mouthed 'Enough' when my back was to Alpha. The Prince's eyes widened when I reached to fold over the parchment he held, the one with the diagrams, with a smile. Then he understood, and stayed silent until the 'committee' reassembled and thanked him for the very fair price.

====

As I gazed on both men, I thought it was time for a scheme of my own, because I could see Alpha's interest in the Prince had gone beyond checking that he was well. And the Prince seemed interested in Remus too. Dorian's little segue with the desserts made me watch the Prince carefully. Although I expected Alpha's eyes to be glued to the potions master as the man enjoyed his dessert, I almost laughed with delight when Snape watched our leader lick his chocolate covered spoon...right before that blasted woman started on her tirade.

If Molly Weasley only knew how close she had been to being thrown out of the community house...for interrupting a nearly obscene event.

But now, encouraging the potions master's interest was as easy as putting Alpha's pain medicine on the table next to him.

The Prince came over to the table almost immediately and picked up the bottle. When he waved his wand over it, his face settled into a sneer.

"What is wrong with the potion?" I asked, moving away from Alpha so that he could sleep for at least a few more moments. 

Snape stared down at the sleeping man with the oddest look on his face. As if he were fighting a battle with himself, perhaps as if he didn't like that there was something in Remus that was similar to him.

I let him fight the battle. I fought that same one myself for a short time, after Remus made me Beta. Those similarities I discovered made me want to be with him even more than his manipulations. I suspected that though this battle would be longer and harder, my Alpha would win this one too.

But this skirmish didn't seem resolved when he replied, "There's too much diluting the willow bark in this solution. It won't do him much good unless he takes three bottles at once."

I should have known better than to trust a distributor who made Madame Hermione suspicious. I sighed. "That would upset his stomach. One makes him sensitive."

The Prince grumbled quietly before going into the back of the store and retrieving a bottle. "This is what I use. It should be better for him, and not interfere with the Wolfsbane."

"Do you make it? I can pay you to make enough for him as well." I started to reach into my shirt, where I kept a few galleons.

"*I* will pay him, Daryl. If you're going to take in that boy we sheltered last week, you're going to need the money."

I turned back towards the corner to see my Alpha rising from the cot slowly. Crossing my arms and frowning, I replied, "Just make sure you do so. You're starting to need it more than the Wolfsbane."

Alpha nodded and walked over to the Prince, presumably to settle on a price. But as he did, I saw something akin to horror on the potions master's face. "I-I'll have to take magical and physical readings from you for the next week so that I can find the exact ratio of ingredients I should use."

Alpha stopped in his tracks, trying to figure out what was bothering Snape. He, of course, settled on the obvious possibility. "Will you have to take readings of the wolf?"

The Prince shook his head. "But it will be very personal. I am loathe to invade your privacy in such a way. We both have had our beings violated, sometimes when the situation didn't warrant it. But it will be necessary if the potion is to be effective."

Remus seemed to accept that explanation. I didn't quite believe it. Snape was responsible for some of Alpha's violation, even if it was for a good reason. He had invaded my Alpha's privacy to keep Remus from being doubly cursed by the DADA position. So why was he so concerned?

When Alpha went to the window to look out onto the cobblestone street, I was sure the Prince was hiding something. For the moment my leader's back was to him, he reached toward the other man. But his hand trembled violently, as if he was afraid any touch to Alpha would burn him worse than the potions that had impaired his hands.


	8. Remus

I had known great pain all my life. It was part of the curse, and part of how others responded to knowing about the curse. But though pain was well, painful, it had a silver lining. Oddly enough, pain tended to be a great glue in the human condition. It helped me face raising a child on my own. It bonded my pack. And it was part of the first step in Severus accepting me, both twenty years ago and the night I told him the pack's history. I should have known it would be at the forefront to make him see I really accepted him as well. 

I returned to Hogwarts feeling just a little lighter for having told my story to someone. And I felt comforted by Severus' care and concern. Despite his words to the contrary, I knew he understood and sympathized with much that I had gone through during the creation of the pack. Not that I would tell him that. I didn't want him to mock me for believing he was trying to understand me, even if I was sure it was the truth.

But his care created a new problem. I found myself waiting for Severus to contact me. I knew he wouldn't renege on making me that pain potion. So it meant he had to show up at my doorstep at some point to take the readings he needed, or send me an owl to tell me to show up at his.

In the meantime, I went back to teaching my classes and dealing with the scandal that had formally brought me to Severus' door. The potions tests had to be redone, and I had to proctor the exams along with Grady, as I was better at detecting charms than he was. That, at least, went well. I was glad when there were no further incidents. It was then easier to calm the nerves of the parents who were worried about the reputations of their children.

After a lot of discussion amongst the heads of the school, we decided to not expel the culprits. I had seen the results of removing students, and they weren't good. Troublemakers with important parents tended to cause issues for the school when we did. Children without influential parents tended to suffer more than expected.

But each and every one of them was required to work with Grady for the rest of the school year and into the summer. I suggested to Minerva that we find an independent person to evaluate their skills afterwards, to ensure they were up to par.

Minerva, in her infinite devilishness, walked by our repenting students as she asked me, "Do you think former Headmaster Snape would actually come back to evaluate the potions students' progress at the end of the summer?"

I didn't say anything as we walked past the group. We suspected that just the threat of Severus' appraisal would be enough to encourage them to stay in line this time around.

Grady told us later the tactic was a success, as all of the students in his classes were much more attentive.

Once that was taken care of, I could spend some time counseling my son and Al Jamison on how to best deal with the man they'd be working with for the next couple months. I emphasized one thing that I knew Severus didn't receive much of at the moment: patience. I had found during my time at St. Mungo's that if you waited Severus' tirades out, he would most often calm himself down.

The young men did their best to seem prepared for his personality. But I knew they wouldn't truly understand until they were faced with one of his rants. So I told them that they could contact me at any time if they needed help.

Both of them knew that if they caused him distress, I would not be pleased. So Al asked me to charm their necklaces with an alert (something I had done for the original young ones so they felt safer while in school). I did so, magically connecting their necklaces to mine. I knew Severus would be annoyed by my coming to their aid, but I felt it would help him as well as them. They didn't know the pain that sometimes drove his anger. I knew about some of it. But I also knew that there was more lurking behind his countenance.

It was ironic that I would discover more of it the second day of their apprenticeship.

====

That morning, a dark owl was sitting in front of my breakfast plate in the Great Hall by the time I got there. I stared at it for a moment, then looked to the Headmistress, who was currently eating some type of porridge.

Minerva shrugged. "It was there when I got here. It's very well behaved, hasn't touched any of the food."

"I could offer it a treat for its patience, but it might turn up its beak," I said quietly as I sat down.

The headmistress smiled mysteriously. "Perhaps Dorian can create something appropriate for it. He did well with its owner."

I chuckled. "He did. I'll see if he has anything for owls when he comes by tonight." I had asked Minerva for permission to use my classroom as a meeting room for the pack leaders. Although my revelation at the weekend dinner certainly cleared the air for many people, there was still fallout to be dealt with. There were journalists camped out in front of the community house. We promised them a story. But it would be on our terms, and in our way. So we needed to discuss it before anything was said to them.

Minerva would be part of that meeting, so she just said, "I need to ask him about a few South American recipes that he's tried."

I nodded distractedly as I turned my attention to the bird in front of my plate. As soon as I looked toward it, it held out its leg. So I retrieved the note and read it. "Can you spare me after my two o'clock class?" I asked.

Minerva nodded. "Grady has everything under control at the moment. Do let me know if Severus needs anything else from us."

"I will." I said as I wrote the reply on the back of the note. Once the note was reattached to its leg, the owl flew off.

====

I apparated into Diagon Alley with the intention of picking up a few things for Hagrid before making my final stop at the potions shop. But that was quickly forgotten when I turned the corner by Flourish and Blotts to find my son pointing his wand at a wizard I had not seen before.

Not sure of the situation, I walked over slowly. Although Teddy was just average in defense, he had been top of his class in any skill that required quick and keen observation. So I was not at all surprised to hear a quiet "Hi, Dad. I was just about to contact you." even though he hadn't moved his head as I approached.

"Do you need some help, Ted?" I asked just as quietly. The wizard he was holding off was bristling at my son. But as soon as he noticed me, he froze.

Now that he had a reprieve, Teddy spared a glance at me. His eyes shone with worry. "Harry is on his way. I called him first because Mr. Snape's life was in danger from this person."

I glared at the man, who immediately glared back at me. He seemed to get over the shock of my presence rather quickly when Severus' life was mentioned. "He should have died for what he did to Dumbledore," the man spat out. "I came here to correct that oversight."

I didn't often let the wolf respond in a way that non-lycanthropes could see. But this man's disregard for Severus brought its anger to my countenance before I could stop it. And I found I didn't want to. My voice was a growl as I said, "You are not his judge. He has already been found innocent of any crime by the Wizengamot." I pulled out my own wand as the man made a move towards my son.

"Snape is not threatening your job, Quincy. He has no desire to work for the Ministry. The Minister asked him a year ago," Harry said from behind me. "I'll take it from here, gentlemen. If you'd guide Ron over to Mr. Snape, we'll get out of your hair before he has time to find too many faults in our methods."

"He's hurt." Ted said in a rush as soon as he let his wand arm fall. "Crucio and...the bleeding spell. Al is trying to help him."

"He knows how to counter Sectumsempra," Ron muttered as the three of us hurried towards the shop. "He invented the bloody spell."

I shook my head. "I hate that the spell became public. I think he invented it so that my friends would stop bothering him. Nobody else was supposed to know about it, I'm sure."

"A bit extreme to keep the bullies off your back, don't you think? Bleeding nonstop?" Ron looked at me worriedly.

"Not when Sirius used my other form to threaten his life." I sighed. "Everything with Severus seems to come back to that. Their treatment of him and my inaction."

My guilt over that situation had consumed me so much that I had kept absolutely silent while Severus tore my first teaching job apart by revealing my curse. It also kept me silent when he was put in my room in St. Mungo's. But I found I could start to repent by seeing that he didn't spend his whole stay with me being insulted.

It was time to repent again. I stepped in front of Ron and opened the door, hurrying inside. I rushed over to where Al was trying to read from a book. He stood nervously in front of Severus, who was bleeding from a series of cuts at the base of his neck.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. I can't get the pronunciation right. And Mr. Snape can't help me. That mwngrel somehow crushed his neck before he made him bleed." Al's hands trembled as he handed me the book.

"Watch your language, Al," I scolded softly before looking over the text. Staring at Severus' worried but silent visage, I wondered at why Al would have a problem with it. His Welsh accent wasn't that heavy. But I knew the counter spell was sung. My mind focused on singing that both Severus and I would have heard at Hogwarts and suddenly realized why Al couldn't perform the counter spell. So I closed my eyes and recalled a discussion with Lily Evans Potter so I could use the correct intonation and pronunciation for the Vulnera Sanentur song.

Severus' relieved breath started him choking. Startled, I realized he still needed immediate care. So I summoned a Patronus and sent a message to Daryl to have Headmistress McGonagall remove the wards around my classroom immediately and have Poppy meet me there.

Severus glared at me. But rather than being silent this time, I glared back and told him in a clipped tone, "You need help. Stop refusing it. Everyone needs help at some point."

I was concentrating so hard on convincing Severus to accept the care he needed that I nearly growled when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Sorry," Ron Weasley said as he jumped back. "I wanted to ask if I could question your ...pack member." The younger man was apparently still trying to adjust to my newly revealed status. "I'll question Mr. Snape after Madame Pomfrey sees to him."

"Go ahead and discuss the incident with Al. But to talk to Severus, you'll have to come to Hogwarts," I said, letting more of what Daryl referred to as my 'Moonchild command tone' come through my voice. "He's not leaving my sight until I know he's safe and healed."

My confrontation with Kingsley five years ago as Moonchild made it easier to ignore the indignant stare Severus was giving me. I had learned there were times that it was best to not back down. So I said to him, "I'm third in line in the people who will insist you stay safe. If you get past Poppy and Minerva, only then will I exert any pressure."

Severus rolled his eyes, but seemed to settle at that point. I hoped it would last until we could ensure there were no more immediate threats to him.

===

Oddly enough, Severus seemed to content to let Poppy tut over him as she went about healing his throat and a few other abrasions. So I turned to my pack members, who, along with my biological child, were at the head desk.

I sighed as I heard Ned and Daryl whisper to each other about appointing guards for our potions master. "He will never stand for that, bleiddiaid bach." I reverted to their first nickname to get their attention.

Daryl, as the instigator of the plan, bowed his head. "He needs it though, Alpha. Can't we convince him?"

"I don't know how. He would probably see it as invasion of his privacy. He has fought hard these past few years to stay out of public view. It ends up causing him pain." I sat down at my desk, trying to figure out what to do. I was determined to not let Severus out of Hogwarts until I knew he was safe.

Maya, Jaro's older sister and our electronics expert, started muttering about the incompatibility between most electronics and magic. "I'd have a security system surrounding his place if it would be of any use. Where does he live anyway?"

"Cokeworth." I said, worrying even more. "On a street called Spinner's End. It's a muggle area, and rather poor, if I remember correctly from Lily's account."

Maya muttered even more. Although I couldn't understand her Arabic, I knew I agreed with the sentiment behind her words. He'd be nearly impossible to protect in his childhood home.

Suddenly, Dorian started sniffing the air. His nose was the most sensitive of all of us, so we instantly froze. We all respected his ability to smell a threat.

Then I heard a very familiar fabric rustle. It had been almost twenty years since I heard it last, but when I turned my head, I could see that Severus had heard it too. 

So I moved towards the sound, as if I was listening to my pack while pacing. Then I casually reached towards the floor and grabbed the hem of the invisibility cloak to reveal Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy underneath it. 

"I thought your father donated this to the war archives, Mr. Potter." I said as I looked on them sternly. I had my suspicions they were here for the same reason I was worrying my head off. But I couldn't let them thwart all the rules.

"Uh, I'll give it to them at the end of the year?" Albus looked up at me with a scared expression.

I sighed before I let their disobedience go for now. "Why are you here?"

Scorpius spoke up after a worried look at Severus. "For Dad. We saw the Headmaster when you apparated in. We were on the way to the library. But I knew Dad would want to know if the Headmaster was ok."

I laid my hand on Scorpius' shoulder as the boys stood up. Then I turned to Severus. "You're still not talking to Draco."

Severus glared at me. "He doesn't need me weighing him down," he whispered hoarsely before Poppy could stop him.

"He's worried about you! He tried to see you dozens of times but he always came back with a sad look," Scorpius nearly shouted. Albus grabbed his arm to try to calm him down. 

Severus looked taken aback by the boy's words, so I sat down at the desk next to him. "We're all worried about you. Please let us help."

"I can take care of myself." he grumbled.

I looked to Daryl, who had heard those words from my mouth more times than I could count. After noting my Beta's exasperated sigh, I repeated his usual reply to Severus. "We're not trying to take away your independence or ability. We're just trying to make your life a little easier."

Because I needed contact with the taciturn man, I whisked some nonexistent dirt off his shoulder. I was shocked when he actually leaned into the touch. So I took a chance and casually put a supporting hand on his back. "Jaro does some gardening work for Malfoy Manor. We'd be honored to help you talk to Draco, if you'd find his home a safe place. But please don't go back to Spinner's End tonight. If someone could threaten your life in Diagon Alley, your home isn't safe."

Then Scorpius came up to Severus and suddenly threw his arms around him. "Please, Headmaster. You made sure I had a dad. You need to be safe."

I let the boy persuade him in ways I couldn't. But when he finally nodded his head, Severus reached to clutch at my hand, the one that I had set on the desk next to him.

====

In the end, I decided that the pack meeting should be postponed. We knew the journalists would find out what happened in Diagon Alley, and would probably pursue leads there. Maya and her husband Sam would keep an eye on the journalists for the next few days. But in the meantime, we would watch over Severus so that he wasn't threatened again. That meant we also needed to plan for his safety when none of us could be with him, in two days time.

Ned and Daryl were the ones who usually focused on security. I had relied on them heavily to coordinate the safety of the abused wolves we had brought into the pack. I had focused, with Dorian and Michael, the Minister's foreign wizarding affairs expert and Ned's older brother, on helping the Ministry punish their abusers appropriately. But everyone could see that Severus was trying to stay close to me. So I decided to work with Ned, while Daryl went with Teddy and Al to complete the day's orders at the shop, to retrieve the Wolfsbane, and to ward the shop so it was ready for Severus's return in the morning.

I was glad when Harry came with one of the younger Aurors to question Severus and myself. Severus still had the tendency to rile Ron Weasley up without doing anything at all. Neither of them needed that at the moment.

I gave my account to the younger Auror, who embarrassingly seemed in awe of me. But since I had been in Diagon Alley only for the aftermath of the attack, my story was short. So I was able to watch Harry question Severus while Ned and I discussed Draco Malfoy and his Manor.

Harry, of course, was careful with his former potions teacher. But Severus reacted more stiltedly than I expected, until I walked over to give Harry a quill that was charmed more properly than the one he had.

Once I was next to Severus, he seemed to relax. So I again sat at the desk next to him while we finished our respective conversations.

I was surprised at Severus' indirect request for my presence, but I made no comment on it. I didn't want to disturb the calm it seemed to give him. The others followed my lead, making a difficult situation easier on all of us.

So I didn't leave Severus' side when we apparated to Malfoy Manor. But this time, Severus reached to embrace the blond man who nearly broke down in tears at seeing him. I stood out of the way as the two men finally reunited.

Everything was calm while Ned inspected the Manor for problems. When he was satisfied that not even the Ministry could get in without Draco letting them in, we prepared to leave the two men to what I suspected would be a much longer conversation about the past than the one I had had with Severus a few days before.

But before I could wave my wand, Severus laid a hand on my arm and said one word. "Stay."

Of course I sent Ned back to the others alone.


	9. Severus

Blast it, I fell on old habits. He wasn't Lily. Why did I treat him like he was?

I knew I confused Lupin with my neediness after the attack on me at the shop. But how could I tell him that he was one of two people in my entire life who appeared to accept me without judgement? And that I was beginning to realize I couldn't continue hiding now that he had revealed so much? He was a persistent bastard when it came to trying to take care of me.

And he did it too well. The tale of his trials had been a favor in disguise. He used it as a show of empathy for my own issues. His revealed status now made me want to reach for him, because I understood the pain he had dealt with. I dreaded knowing that our new empathy for each other would end in disaster, but the feeling of being understood that came forth around him was too seductive.

Lupin should have walked away. I had too much baggage for most people to be comfortable with me. But in the last two days, I found him constantly in touching distance. Even after the things I had done to him, the abuse he had had at my hand, he still reached out to me. To help, to commiserate. Salazar, sometimes I didn't even know why his hand was near mine.

But when he charged to my rescue as if I were his pup, I finally admitted to myself that the hand was as welcome as Lily's had been. I let myself need him in my weakness and confusion. Even while Draco Malfoy showed me how much better a man he was than I by welcoming the prodigal, I needed the man who watched me embrace him.

What that need really was, I wasn't sure. And I was too weary to worry about it. So I just let him see that I needed him. And nearly collapsed to the marble floor with relief when he accepted it.

====

Lupin read in the corner of the sitting room as Draco and I sat and talked after a sumptuous dinner. He seemed content to give us some space to find our way through the mental mire created by a war.

Once the comfortable conversation reemerged, I realized that the younger man still idolized me somehow. I became convinced that Draco wanted my approval of how he handled his family's estate. But I couldn't give it to him. The only luxuries I had really known had been at Hogwarts, and I had let the house elves handle those.

But I did listen as he told me about the wife he lost, and the child he was raising. That empathetic child who demonstrated how far Draco had come from the last time I had been near him. I couldn't help but show my approval of that.

So I relayed to him how his son had persuaded me to seek him. When I revealed exactly what happened to cause the change in me, Draco offered to get my things from Spinner's End and set up apartments for me in the southwest corner of the manor. "That place you have in Cokeworth isn't safe, sir. Professor Lupin's people are right. You need to be somewhere more secure."

Even though I wanted to accept, I worried about bringing my misery onto Draco. Just being seen with me could make his life more difficult. But his eyes pleaded with me to do something. He, like Lupin, didn't seem to care that he would be taking in a pariah. So I settled on, "We can discuss it in a few days, after the situation has settled."

"Your stubbornness rivals Father's. If you won't accept my help, let Lupin's pack find you somewhere appropriate." Draco huffed and looked to Lupin for assistance. That alone told me how much his life had changed. He had been terrified of Greyback, but he trusted the werewolf sitting calmly in the corner.

When I turned my head, amber eyes met mine. They seemed to pull me in, just as Lily's green eyes had. He smiled gently at me, then shifted towards Draco. "Up to this point, I've had to manipulate him into accepting anything from me or my group. I was hoping you'd be more persuasive, given the past that you share."

Draco shook his head. "Dumbledore just left me with a debt that I can never repay." He turned to frown at me. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to try."

I sighed. "You would soon want me out. I am far from the best company and you would constantly be tripping over people who want my head on a stake."

"You would have the privacy you need, sir..." Draco pleaded.

But then Lupin interrupted. "He is right about the people, however. A night or two here will not hurt you. But long term...I think I have a better idea. I have a place on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, in Hogsmeade. I'm not always there when school is in session, and Teddy is in the process of moving out. He and Victoire found a flat in London, near St. Mungo's. So the place will be empty much of the time. And Hogsmeade is safer than most places. Kingsley sends Aurors to patrol the town daily, because of the children. Since some of the children are ours, Ned examines their logs every day. The floo also has a direct connection to my chambers in Hogwarts. So if someone does get past the Aurors, you will have a way to escape."

Lupin crossed his arms as he gazed at me. It was almost as if he was daring me to refuse his hospitality.

I knew he wouldn't relent until I accepted *something*. That was the trait that had surprised me when we were together in St. Mungo's. His persistence in giving help was maddening.

He would persist in being at my bedside through every set of nightmares, even though the first week or two I insulted him heavily to attempt to chase him back to his own side of the room. He simply repeated to me that he would listen if I needed to talk about the terrors. And he didn't leave my side until I fell back to sleep, no matter what I did. I never told him the contents of my dreams, but I didn't think he needed my words to know what they were.

So Draco didn't know what stubborn was if Lucius and I were the worst he'd seen. Lupin had turned it into an art form. And he was working on a masterpiece right then. So I capitulated before I looked like a complete fool.

But giving in graciously was more than I could handle at the moment. So I snapped, "Fine. But don't say I didn't tell you if you find the arrangement more trouble than it's worth."

"*You* are worth the trouble. And not only because of your potion skills. Or did you forget that your mere presence brought your former pupil to tears?" Lupin snapped back. Then before I could argue, he stood up. "If you'll have a house elf guide me to my room, Draco, I'll make arrangements immediately. Ned will insist on having at least a day to secure the house and the surrounding area. And the moon is in two nights, so he'll want to assign human pack members to check on Severus."

I glared at Lupin as Draco called for a house elf. Lupin just smiled back. "You might as well look at a star chart soon, Severus. You're being adopted."

That smile squeezed at my mind again, making my good sense fly out the window. In that moment, I wondered why I protested so much.

Draco chuckled. "Is there a constellation in the shape of a proud bat? That's what Mother always called him."

"Oddly enough, Orion appears to be guarding a bat. Maybe I should assign Harry the job of checking in. Following the stars has been useful at times." Lupin nodded to both of us before he followed the house elf upstairs.

====

Draco and I talked a little longer. Lupin's implication that I should have let Draco back into my life earlier had been correct, damn him. The younger man's successes and gossip of a few of his classmates were a balm to my soul. I hadn't suffered for nothing. Some in the reach of Voldemort's grip had escaped. They weren't unscathed. But they had found their way back to normalcy.

But when it came time to talk about myself, I found that the words wouldn't come. Especially about those years away from my home. Those years were too painful. The telling would spoil my view of the good Draco had just revealed.  

So I told him of the apprentice debacle and Lupin's solution. This seemed to satisfy him. That is, until my gaze drifted to the stairs Lupin had recently climbed. Then he said, "I'm astounded that both you and Professor Lupin seem to work so hard so those around you can be happy, but take none of the joy yourselves. You both deserve more. Come on, I'll take you to your room. You look exhausted. And given what Lupin said, I might have my gardener breathing down my neck if you don't get enough sleep."

We walked up those stairs to a comfortable room in shades of brown. But I couldn't help but notice that the door next to the room had a light on. The light leaked out under the door and into the hallway. I wondered if Lupin had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places, as I did.

But by that point, I was too tired to ask. So I just bade Draco goodnight and prepared for bed.

Sleep came quickly, despite being away from my home. Draco was right, I was exhausted from all the commotion. But rest eluded me. Because I ended up dreaming of dark times and green lights that killed.

The sights in those dreams were always horrific. But it was the sounds that tormented me. The girlish scream was familiar. That had haunted me for nearly forty years. But then my dream made me hear another, more masculine gasp. The gasp of a weary man who fought for those he called family. And in my dream, one curse did not stop the other. 

My own frightened yell woke me. I looked around in the darkness, wondering how to convince the man in the next room that I just had to wake him up to check that he had no ill effects from the Wolfsbane he took earlier. For I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep unless I heard him breathe.

But then I felt a warmth cover my hand. A strong magical warmth as my hand was engulfed in another. "Shh, Severus. You're safe."

My eyes began to focus in the darkness. After a moment, I could see Lupin sitting next to my bed, an echo of the past still very welcome in the present. And beyond him, a light from another bedroom. Draco had put us in connecting rooms. For a moment, I wondered what he thought he knew about us. Then my attention went elsewhere. Concentrating on that thought took too much effort in my current state.

So I turned back to Lupin and tried to prepare an insult that would drive him away. But hearing him die in my dreams made it impossible to restore the crassness that I normally wore to hide the problematic emotions lurking within me. In fact, the dream had so shaken me that I ended up revealing the worries that caused it. "Did I kill Lily? Did I nearly kill you?"

"Of course not," the quiet voice replied in the darkness. Then my hand was gently squeezed in both of his, bringing a welcome warmth throughout my body. "As far as I know, you only ever killed one man. And he had the gall to force your hand to do it."

I nearly gasped in surprise at his words. I had never heard Lupin disparage Dumbledore before this. But now there was a bitterness in his tone. Did he blame Albus for my current condition? It didn't matter. His understanding calmed me. And I could feel the protectiveness in the hand that cradled mine. It soothed my troubled mind to know that I could stop my vigilance, even if it was only for a short time. He was watching over me.

So I let myself drift back to sleep. As I did, I swore I felt the touch of soft lips on my forehead.


	10. Daryl

The flurry of activity in the community house the day of the full moon never ceased to thrill me. This was supposed to be the worst day of our month. But somehow, Alpha had turned it into our best.

I probably should have thanked the spirits of James Potter and Sirius Black for starting him down that road. I did thank James' son every month for helping to accomplish it. For Monsieur Harry was one of the people who took over my duties this day to help prepare everything we needed for the coming night.

Resting before and after the moon made the transformations easier to handle. So Alpha had appointed Harry and Monsieur Neville as human Betas to ensure we were able to relax. (I suspected but never confirmed that they argued him into it, because the moons during our first year as a pack were tougher than usual for him.)

Today, Harry couldn't make it until dinner and couldn't stay long after because of Auror business. So Neville had gathered the Hogwarts faculty and other friends who had time so they could help.

Harry and Neville technically reported to me. But they had been among my teachers during our first few years as a pack. So more often than not, we worked as a team of equals. Still, we kept up appearances when we had new pack members to show them the hierarchy existed even if it wasn't strictly followed.

So Neville waited outside my open office door until I put my phone down. After I closed the case file that had required my attention before my two days off, he shut the door and sat next to me. Then he went down his list.

"Francis and Minerva are helping Dorian with dinner. Hagrid is clearing the yard of the trees that fell during that snow storm last month. Sybill and Luna are driving away the bad thoughts in the yard. I think Luna brought a Thestral to help with that." When I started to laugh, the tall man shrugged. "None of Luna's ideas really ever hurt anything." 

"No, they don't. Hopefully her light touch will also make our new people think twice about challenging Alpha."

The herbologist sighed. "Hermione did have a talk about it with the older one, Chris. She said that he's worse than Malfoy was during school. I told her that she should send him to Draco to let him knock some sense into Chris before you do. But she doubted that even Draco would get anywhere. He's nineteen years old and thinks he's going to make front page news by heading straight for Moony's neck when the moon rises."

I wasn't worried. "He won't even make it past Ted and Laura. Chris may be strong, but he has absolutely no planning ability. That trap they devised to keep the challengers contained should be all that's needed."

Monsieur Neville nodded but still appeared worried. "I hope so. Remus is in one of his moods. He's already melancholy. I'd rather not have to pull him out of a depression because his newest charge was hurt on his watch. It wouldn't matter to him that the kid got hurt trying to kill him."

Alpha's mood was of more concern to me, but I did my best to contain my agitation. "He's worried about Snape. That attack in Diagon Alley was troublesome."

"Harry warded the house yesterday. Kingsley invited himself over there for dinner tonight, and is staying in Remus's chamber rooms at Hogwarts until the sun rises. There's not much more we can do to protect Snape without getting into his personal space more than he tolerates." Neville gave every indication that that situation was handled in the best way possible, so I relaxed a little.

We talked for a little about the other new pack members, especially thirteen year old Trey, who Allie and I were looking to make part of our family. Neville's daughter Isabelle was that age, so he told me what to watch out for.

Just as he finished a tale about Isabelle's demand for a pet toucan after watching television with a muggle friend, we heard a shout from the gathering room. "Beta, you're needed!"

My sensitive ears picked up the clink of glass. "Snape's here with the potion. Are you sure you can't convince him to let Hagrid stay the night?"

Neville laughed and shook his head as we left the office. "I'd probably find my Mimbulus mimbletonia poisoned the next day if I tried."

On that note, we headed to the gathering room to help our potions master with distributing the bottles.

As we walked in, so did Alpha. Neville was right. His face held a rather melancholy expression as he gazed at the Prince. Rather than sneering at Alpha's bad mood, however, Snape seemed to ignore it.

Knowing that the Prince had to be nervous being around any of us at this time (he had reason for his fear, as he had been attacked twice by Alpha's wolf), I signaled the human pack members to help with the bottles. Alpha hung back, watching Snape from against the kitchen wall. I noticed, however, that he was still rather close to the Prince, and the Prince seemed to tolerate it without his usual trembling. I hoped that was a sign that Remus had made progress in relating to the difficult man, but I said nothing.

Just as the last of the bottles were being distributed, Chris walked over to Alpha. Before I could blink, Snape reached out, grabbed Chris's wrist, and held it aloft. Clutched tightly in Chris's hand was one of Dorian's steak knives, in a position to stab.

As he held the hand up for all to see, Snape grated out, "You idiotic child. Can't you see that he is the reason you are finally safe? You think power is about strength of body or of magic. But do you have the strength of mind to keep all these souls safe, healthy and content? Only when you do will you be worthy of sharing his responsibility."

Then with a quick movement, Snape snapped the wrist he held. We all jumped at the echo the sound made in the quiet of the room. Then, as the knife clattered to the floor, the Prince pulled a bottle of Skele-grow out of his robe pocket and slammed it on the table next to him.

Looking straight into Alpha's eyes, he said, "I'll have pain medicine for you in the morning. It won't be the best without those vitals readings, but it'll work. Give one of those bottles you were using earlier to this fool. Maybe the lingering ache will make him realize how lucky he is." 

Then the potions master whirled and apparated out of the room.

====

When Monsieur Harry made it to the community house, I pulled him aside and told him what happened.

After rolling his eyes at the Prince's theatrics, Harry agreed with me that Chris needed to be separated from the pack for his own safety. So I grabbed my cellphone from my office and called Richard.

Richard, my packmate who had swiped a Daily Prophet so long ago and ended up saving my life, was an Alpha in his own right. He still wore his constellation, Corvus, and participated in our decision making, especially when we needed to convince Remus to see to his own well-being. But Richard, like the one we bowed our heads to, saw a need to protect when he found a small band of Greyback's cast-offs living in the North Pennines seven years ago.

The people had been so isolated for so long that they didn't feel comfortable coming back to civilization to join our pack. So Richard joined theirs, and a year later, he was leading it. The pack seemed to have no problem with his split loyalty, especially since we provided them with help whenever they needed it. In return, they took in any wolves who we felt needed more rehabilitation than we could provide in London.

Richard arrived promptly for dinner and, after checking that Remus hadn't been hurt, pulled Chris into a corner to talk. As we ate, Allie and I assured Trey that Richard was one of us, and that Chris wouldn't be taken to Azkaban. I was glad when the boy seemed to believe us. He looked up to Chris, so I hoped the older boy could be allowed back to London soon.

After dinner, Harry escorted Richard and Chris to Northern England while the rest of us went out back to await moonrise.

All the humans except Baby Brother congregated outside the wards to act as our guardians. Ted became the bridge between the humans and the wolves on full moon nights, as his metamorphagus abilities allowed him to be both forms.

He was also our clock. When Ted looked up at the sky and changed to a wolf, we all began to undress and lock our possessions in the charmed steel chests. The moon was rising.

After the transformations, Alpha and I went around to check on everyone. Then Alpha went to settle under a tree at the edge of our wards, as he tended to do when his thoughts pulled at him more than the moon did.

So I showed Baby Brother that his father was in the back before I spent some time wrestling with Trey. Ted would keep Alpha from being disturbed while I watched over the pack.

I had just nudged Trey to get some rest (otherwise even he wouldn't be able to move in the morning) when I heard raised voices on the human side of the wards. Trotting over to the section we used as the entrance, I put my muzzle against the flexible barrier Alpha had created to make it easier to get the humans' attention. A moment later, I could feel a big hand-Neville's- press flat against the barrier from the other side. An acknowledgement with a request to wait. When I heard Minister Shacklebolt's voice, then the Prince's, I sat down to listen. A human hand rested on my head as Ted settled next to me.

"Severus, he's fine!" Minister Shacklebolt nearly shouted. "He's probably sleeping. As you should be. It's one am, for Merlin's sake!"

Neville was quieter and calmer. "Both Teddy and Laura are trained in medical magic. One of them would have been able to spot if the knife had touched him, even if he tried to hide it."

Ted flipped up the canvas that covered the wolf-height 'window' in front of us and looked out. It was deliberately spelled to make it hard for the wolves to look out, but easy for an animagus or metamorphagus to do so. Alpha didn't want whatever was on the other side to accidentally spark the curse's bloodlust.

So Teddy whispered to me about what was on the human side. "Snape looks tired, and maybe frightened? He might've had a nightmare."

I whined a little. Many of the war heroes, including our human Betas and Alpha himself dealt with nightmares on a regular basis. So I had the utmost sympathy for the Prince if the fear of Remus' death had driven him out here on this cold night.

"Neville's activating the mirror near Dad's tree, so Snape can see him," Ted continued informing me. "But for some reason, that's not helping. Whatever he imagined must have been really bad."

I put my muzzle to the ground for a moment to think. Alpha had taught us from the very beginning that we must keep away from humans who don't know how to handle the wolves on the nights of the full moon. Snape was definitely one that Alpha kept his distance from. Even in the community house earlier, Alpha knew that the Prince didn't know how to get past his fear of our cursed side. So he repeatedly warned everyone to give Snape extra space.

But Alpha also taught us that rules needed to bend at times for people's well-being. I was beginning to think that this was one of those times. So I nudged Ted and pointed my muzzle at the black blur in the window that I assumed was the Prince.

"What?" Ted asked, confused. But when I mimed walking in the entrance, he shook his head. "You've lost your moon-addled mind, Daryl! We can't bring him in here! Dad will kill both of us because Snape will die of fright!"

I laid on the ground and whined, begging.

When he saw that I wasn't relenting, Baby Brother sighed. "Let me check with Neville."

I wagged my tail as Ted called to Neville so they could discuss the situation. After a brief conversation, Neville looked through the window at me. I could just make out the shake of a finger. "I will put stinksap in your bathtub if Remus comes after me about this. I'll let Snape in once Teddy checks everyone."

So I watched quietly as Ted went around to all twenty eight other wolves and touched them gently to make sure they didn't snarl or snap. When twenty seven wagged their tails or playfully pawed at him, he then went up to his father. He kissed Alpha on the top of his head and whispered in his ear.

A moment later, Alpha stared me down. But when I laid on the ground and wagged my tail, he relented, nudging his son back towards the entrance. I followed, knowing that Alpha would chase after me first if something went wrong.

It took a moment for Snape to come in after the entrance opened. But once he emerged, trembling in his fear, the pack began to assemble behind me. We could all see the Prince's wild-eyed stare as he noticed each and every one of us. As Ted took his arm and guided him past us, we all put our muzzles to the ground in homage. For we now knew he was what Ned had called him the first time we saw Remus gazing on Snape's little shop, longing but afraid to enter. He was Alpha's Prince.

Ned and Michael settled everyone in the front half of the yard as I followed Ted and Snape to the back. I stayed a few steps behind out of respect for Snape and his fear, but I needed to be within sight distance in case one of them needed me.

So I settled near the bare lilac bush and watched as Ted guided Snape to his father. Alpha nudged Ted a little when Ted kissed the tip of his snout. Baby Brother chuckled. "I'll spend all day with Victoire tomorrow, I promise. We both have the day off." Then Ted eased himself away and came over to where I hid as he changed back to a wolf.

We then both watched as Snape fell heavily to his knees in front of Alpha, trembling. At first I thought it was in fear. But when he reached out to clutch at Remus's fur, I realized he was sobbing. "Damn you," he screeched. "I can't take any more pain."

I stood and nearly ran over to them, thinking that Snape was somehow injured. Alpha must have had the same thought, because he started poking his snout on Snape's body. But when his poking didn't reveal the scent of blood, I laid back down to watch Snape slap the top of Alpha's muzzle.

"Stop it, you fool," he muttered. "I'm not one of your pups."

I knew my tongue was hanging out in mirth as I thought, 'No Prince sir, you're someone he tries to care for even more intently.'

Alpha whined a little and nudged Snape's hand in apology. Snape sighed and buried that hand in Alpha's fur. "You're not Lily. You can't be Lily. So why do I feel the same gut wrenching agony at the thought of losing you?"

Snape took a shaky breath. Alpha stared for a moment, then gently but firmly nudged Snape to lie on the ground. A moment later, there was a pillow and blanket next to the potions master, and Ted's soft laugh reached my ears. 

Alpha barked in our direction, which just made Ted laugh more. So we slunk away before we also annoyed Snape.

But not before I saw Alpha curl around his Prince so he could feel his heart beat and keep the fears of death at bay. 


	11. Remus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brother lives in Idaho, where huckleberries thrive. They're odd. But they may be odd in a way that Severus would like.  
> Extra note: I don't know the traditional way of eating crepes. What you see below is basically how our family handled it. Dad would make the shells, then every jar of jam/jelly and every piece of fruit we had in the house would suddenly appear on the dining room table.

"Oh, that is hideous!" 

My Beta's exclamation woke me from the doze I had fallen into after transforming back to human.

"Hmm?" I opened my eyes just as Daryl held my clothes out to me.

Daryl waved to where Severus was wrapped in a blanket in the grass. It was the loudly multicolored blanket that Molly had given Teddy to celebrate his engagement to Victoire. Teddy swore she made it for him so that there would be no great grandchildren before the wedding. It gave me a headache every time I walked into his room and saw it on his bed. So I had let him donate it to the rescue efforts. He must have called it from the community house last night for Severus to use.

"So that's why Teddy was laughing." I sighed as I sat up and started dressing. "It's awful."

We both startled as Severus suddenly seemed to cringe where he laid. I swore softly in Welsh as I realized that he must have believed we were commenting on him in some way. I could see Daryl came to the same conclusion as a guilty expression took over his face. A moment later, Daryl walked over to Severus and said, "You might want to hand me the blanket before you open your eyes, sir. I wouldn't want it to spoil your breakfast. Molly is making crepes."

I breathed a sigh of relief when Severus's face lost its pinched expression. But he opened his eyes as he handed Daryl the blanket. "I have seen worse objects among Albus's things," he commented quietly as he studied the offending cloth.

"I'm not surprised," I said as I stood slowly and went over to help Severus up. But instead of taking my hand, he put a bottle of pain medicine in it. 

"Drink this first," Severus said before he downed a second bottle. 

I did so, then looked back at Daryl as my muscles began to loosen and some of my pain from the transformation subsided. "Did you say that *Molly* was making crepes?"

"Yes. Allie heard her come in right after sunrise. You might want to check with Harry about it. He came in with her. Allie wasn't close enough to make out what they were whispering about." Daryl shrugged. "I was inside a few minutes ago. Everything seems calm."

"I trust your wife would have put her law degree to good use on Molly Weasley if it was needed." I said with a smile as I offered Severus my hand again.

This time he took it. I didn't let go as I pulled him gently towards the gathering room. "You must join us for breakfast. You're the reason we can have it. Before you were making the potion, none of us were able to rest during the night, in case the wolf took control while we slept. Now, we at least get enough sleep to eat and check on each other before we spend the day recovering."

Severus resisted for a moment. But I was glad to note that he didn't try to tear his hand from mine. His stunt last night may have actually helped him trust me more.

Then Daryl, being the bossy Beta that made me love him and drove me mad, encouraged Severus with, "You stared down nearly thirty werewolves and came out of it completely unscathed except for a few of Alpha's hairs on your robe." He moved to brush them away, but Severus leaned into me before he could.

I ignored the smug look Daryl gave me as he continued, "You need to eat as much as we do. Apparently, Dorian got a hold of an American fruit for you to try in your crepes. A huckleberry. I had one. It's rather sour, in a way you'd probably like. He is preparing that and a few other things that he thinks you might enjoy."

Severus looked stunned. "Why?" he asked in an almost shaky voice. I wondered if anyone but Albus had ever spontaneously gifted the man with anything. Albus had gifted everyone, so nobody really considered it significant. This, however, was from a practical stranger. Just because it might take the sneer off his face. 

"Because Dorian likes to make people happy by feeding them," I replied with a smile. Dorian had been my second success in the pack, after Daryl. His eagerness to please was infectious, even after all these years. I hoped that would help ease Severus into the group. Because I would not rest until he was actually entitled to their protection, even if that meant settling on some kind of friendship with him instead of the relationship I wanted.

"You raised him to be a house elf?" Severus looked horrified for a moment, but I could see the slightest smile in his eyes. I guessed he was amused at the variety of careers my people had chosen. I was always a little worried when somebody settled on something unexpected. But most of them chose something that drove them, as Severus had. So I never objected.

I laughed as we sat down at one of the tables. "No, Lia taught him to cook early on because it was hard for us to handle meals with all the children. He loved it from the very beginning. About as much as you loved potions, from what I could tell."

Daryl went to find Allie and bring her over to eat with us. While he was gone, many of the pack members gave me their after-moon thanks for keeping them safe. This tradition had bothered me the first time the rescued wolves had done it, mostly because I just let Daryl and his team watch over everyone while I rested. Daryl told me to accept it, because whether or not I did much the night of the moon, I had led the creation of the safe haven for the wolves. So in the pack's opinion, their safety was in my hands. Relenting after a brief argument with my Beta, I smiled at their gratitude. But I thanked them for their contributions as well.

This time they also greeted Severus. To thank him for the potion or saving my life (which I was grateful for, as I had not found a way to thank him for that yet), or to admire the courage he had shown in entering our haven the night before. He started to protest, much like I had early on. So I laid my hand on his arm in support. Then I whispered in his ear, "You deserve the words they're giving you."

Severus looked at me skeptically, but seemed a bit more accepting after that.

However, after about twenty minutes of this we were both beginning to tire, so I was glad when Daryl came back with his wife. I could see Severus' surprise as Daryl guided her to sit next to me. The scarring around her eyes was less noticeable here, where everybody bore scars of some type. But it was hard to miss that her eyes didn't focus on anything, or that Daryl whispered directions to her as she sat down. Her blindness was a limitation that most of us took in stride once we realized that it didn't define her any more than the wolves defined us.

But Severus had been labelled constantly by what people saw as his limitations. So I suspected I would have to help him understand our acceptance. I started with an introduction. "Good morning, Alicia. Have you met Severus Snape, our potions master?"

"Hi Remus. No, I have not. I was overwhelmed by the custody issues we're dealing with concerning the younger boys. I might have to hire a secretary to help me keep track of it all." After updating me, Allie turned in the direction of my discrete press on her shoulder. "Good morning, Mr. Snape. I heard you had quite an adventure last night."

"It was less frightening than what I encountered earlier right here. The one of that group who had reached his majority showed less than adequate maturity in how he approached leadership. So I was forced to correct his oversight." Severus's voice was gentler than I had ever heard it before. I wondered if not being able to use his visual signals of invulnerability was disarming. If so, I'd have to keep that in mind for the next time he went on a rant.

Allie blew out a breath. She and Teddy had berated me after Severus had left. She had insisted that I needed to be more on my guard around those we rescued because many of them didn't realize that they didn't need to use violence with us. "Chris is quite the handful. I don't think he trusts anyone but Trey and Kyle yet. But your quick thinking kept us all from getting hurt. I'm sure you've been thanked by just about everyone for that. I'd add mine, but I wouldn't want Remus believing that we think he can't defend himself. He worries so much about being strong enough for all of us."

Severus snorted, then glared at me. I was taken aback by his seemingly hostile look until he replied, "His strength of mind seems perfectly adequate, despite his griping. I saw the safety measures on the enclosure. They were quite extensive, and most bore his magical signature."

Allie nodded. "The man doesn't even know his own strength. Or his weaknesses. I hope you can teach him a few things about both. Because the only ones of his loyal children who would dare inform him of his flaws are the youngest, Ted, and the oldest." She pointed in Daryl's direction. "But tell me more about magical signatures. I have no magic myself, and since a lot of it requires vision, I only have a basic understanding of it. Is a signature a vibration? Is Remus's signature that the humming I feel when I get near the enclosure gate? Daryl says he doesn't feel anything. But I can feel it down to my bones. The gate hums like Remus's hands do."

Severus' reply showed admiration for Allie's quick deduction. "It is. All wizards have a resonance, and each is different. You can often feel it in the hands of powerful wizards without any aid."

Allie grabbed my hand for a second, then grabbed Daryl's, frowned, let go of Daryl's and grabbed Severus'. Severus didn't even flinch at her touch. In fact, his fingers closed over hers gently so she could feel more of the vibration.

"Your hand actually feels like a counter beat to Remus's. But I can't feel Daryl's at all. Why? I know his magic is strong. Not as strong as either of yours, but strong enough for him to be offered a job as an Auror before he met me in law school."

Daryl laughed as I covered my eyes in sudden embarrassment. But then I shook myself and repeated Allie's question. "Why can't she feel Daryl's magic?"

"Because she is resonating with it." Severus looked at Daryl curiously. "What spell did you cast on her?"

"Just my normal tracking spell. It gets crowded in here during the after-moon breakfast. And Dorian often kidnaps her because she's a great taste-tester." Daryl smiled as Allie squeezed his arm. There was a trust between them that I had seen in no other couple. I envied it, because it required that you trust yourself as much as you trusted the other person. I doubted that I could ever get to that point with anyone.

Then, Merlin bless her, Allie distracted me from my musings. "Dorian grabbed me today to try some of the crepe fillings. Breakfast will be worth the wait."

A moment later, Al, Dorian, Molly and Bill's family came out of the kitchen bearing heaping trays. Dorian, of course, headed straight for our table.

"Good morning, Alpha. And Mr. Snape. You look rested. Much better than you did last night. I'm glad to see that Alpha's defenses against sleep demons are still up to par. He honed his skills on ours when we were younger." Dorian looked toward Daryl's wife as he set the tray down. "Allie, I made a few crepes for you so that your fool of a husband doesn't drown them in sauce."

He laughed as Daryl punched him in the arm before he continued. "But for the rest of you, we merely prepared the crepes as shells so that you can fill them with whatever you'd like. There are tart fruits near Mr. Snape, sweets and sweet fruit near Alpha. Meats, eggs and vegetables are near Daryl. The galettes near him are to fill with those. Enjoy."

Dorian bowed to me. I smiled in approval. I had worried he'd wear himself out making all of this for us. But he had set it up so much of it had probably been prepared yesterday. Good. His abilities were the reason that the Hogwarts house elves grumbled when I went back to the house in Hogsmeade for dinner. I knew the biggest compliment I could pay him was by eating well. So I grabbed a crepe and prepared to fill it with strawberries.

Until I noticed the problems Severus was having.

Severus's hand seemed to tremble uncontrollably as he tried to spoon some of the tart berries onto his plate. For a moment, I wondered why. Then I remembered the reason for Teddy's scolding yesterday. 

"May I help you, Severus?" I asked quietly. "Teddy was right to worry that you had strained your hand when you defended me from Chris."

:I--It will be fine in a few days." The vulnerability was back in the potions master's eyes as they met mine.

"Please let Teddy and Laura look at it after breakfast." I pleaded.

When he nodded with a sigh, I picked up his plate. Then I let him guide me into preparing his meal.

The gasps that my task produced in the pack were quiet but definitely noticeable. An Alpha serving food to another person was a statement of protection.

I paid the others no mind, as everyone knew I was protecting Severus anyway. But I knew they were wondering if my intent went further than protection.

It wasn't the meal that sent the gossip rolling.

It started with Severus' typical indignation. "I'm not one of your pups, Lupin," he snapped as I cut his food into sizes appropriate for the condition of his hands.

I could see most of his hostility was feigned, to protect his pride. But I didn't want to accidentally provoke it into real anger. So I replied calmly, "I know. But they're not the only ones I want to keep close to me and protect."

I knew that would start more whispering among the pack. In fact, I heard the words 'cute couple' whispered across the back of the room a moment later, luckily out of the range of Severus's hearing. I didn't think Severus would like to be called cute, even if it was meant with sincerity and admiration.

But I wouldn't let him escape my sincere regard any longer. After putting his plate back in front of him, I pulled the necklace Daryl had hidden in my clothes out of my pocket. "I won't pressure you into wearing a constellation. I don't need you to bow to me. But please keep this with you so that you can call me for help if you are ever threatened again."'

I showed him the medallion, which had 'HBP' carved into it on the front and a small copy of my constellation on the back, indicating that he was under my protection. I didn't tell him that it would flash 'Alpha's Prince' when he used it to call for help. I didn't request that addition. Michael had put it there as a deterrent to anyone threatening him head on. I knew Severus would be angry if he saw it. But the explanations could wait until I had a few more hours of sleep. 

Severus put the necklace next to his plate as we dug into our food. I watched as he stared at it in between bites. Then I heard him speak hesitantly, with his head towards his plate. "If you will be in Hogsmeade for dinner tonight, I'll bring the chess set I keep at the shop for when Longbottom wants to talk to me. A game might help distract you from any lingering aches."

Stunned at his attempt at seeking my company (for I had never seen him seek anyone but Lily), I was silent for a moment. But when he raised his head, and I saw his eyes radiating fear, I finally found my voice.

"I'd like that." I gave Severus a small smile.

My reward was something I hadn't seen in decades, and it was never directed at me until now.

An answering smile on his lips.


	12. Severus

My shop was set to be invaded by human Constellation members after the younger Lupin cast an immobilization spell on my wrist. The minute the medi-witch werewolf next to him told me that I was not to stir a potion for the next three days, the pack decided they needed to help. Stuart Wright, the chef's significant other, gathered a group to go to the shop even before the elder Lupin asked me if I needed anything.

But that was most likely because the pack Alpha was showing signs of fatigue. I suspected he had not slept after my arrival in the wolves' enclosure. He rarely did when he watched over me.

So I did not protest when the group insisted on coming with me. But I did ask that Alicia Richards join us. She had a sharp tongue when crossed. I needed that at the moment, as I was not recovered enough from last night's dreams to use my own. I suspected that she might have other skills that might prove useful as well. Her organizing skills became apparent even before we went to Diagon Alley. When breakfast was finished, she ordered all of the core pack to bed, including both Lupins, when they tried to insist that they should be the ones to check the shop.

The fact that the twelve of them tried to join me, however, left me mystified. Although their argument with the human members was relaxed, there was definitely an eagerness to their voices. Especially the Lupins'.

Harry Potter laughed as I showed my discomfiture over the verbal battle to watch over me. "This is nothing, sir. You missed the argument that I had with Kingsley and Hermione over who was going to be your guard last night. Hermione only lost because Ron wanted to come along, and we all know how you two snipe at each other. Then Kingsley pulled rank on me."

Laughter erupted around us as Potter looked embarrassed by being bested by the Minister. Then the elder Lupin laid a hand on my shoulder. "I know Allie and the others will take good care of you. But I will still worry if you can't contact me." A moment later, he slid the necklace he had given me around my neck and settled it in place carefully. As he did, the reason for his worry became obvious. I could feel him check the area where my wounds had been.

"You need rest," I said gruffly to hide how much I wanted to wrap his hand in mine.

"I'm going to get some, I promise. Please wake me for dinner. I don't want to miss our chess game." Then Lupin reached up and gently shifted the hair that had fallen over my eye. "I'll see you tonight."

His hand trailed over my shoulder before he went to the hallway where the floo was. I had to grit my teeth to keep from grabbing his hand before it left my robe.

Once their leader left, the other werewolves headed to the floo or to the communal dormitory upstairs. The humans headed off to work, or joined me. Potter and Alicia led our group.

When I opened the shop, I expected to be dealing with chaos for the next few hours, for I was rather particular about how my wares were made. But Potter had been aware of my idiosyncrasies for nearly thirty years, and Stuart Wright obviously had spent plenty of time in kitchens. Potter looked down the list of potions that were on order for the day, asked me a few questions about the more obscure ones, and then set up brewing stations as if we were in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Wright distributed the proper ingredients to each station.

Then Mrs. Richards pulled out a small talking muggle device that somehow contained information on the common potions and ingredients. I was surprised to hear it discuss the proper way to cut willow bark for a standard pain potion. It even knew how to drop ice ivy into a boiling cauldron without destroying it.

I brushed Alicia's hand as I touched the device wonderingly. She laughed. "It's a tablet. A computer. Francis typed up the potions information so that we have a resource for people like Al and Trey, who are only now getting a proper education. Remus wanted to ask you if we could use your teaching notes to update it."

I marveled at their ingenuity. "The notes are at least twenty years old. I will need to update them first. How do you keep the device from breaking down from magical interference?"

Alicia led my fingers to the very edge of the device, where I could feel a faint vibration. "Daryl cast a spell on it. One that repels all magic but itself. He said that Remus had discovered the spell when you were in school together, and used it for some kind of map."

Of course I knew the map of which she spoke. It had discovered Pettigrew's infiltration of Hogwarts. But twenty years earlier, it most likely had been used to track me down for 'pranks'. I frowned at the reminder of our hostile past.

Potter came over shaking his head. "That map saved your life, Severus. My father would have never known you were headed to the Shack with Sirius without it. And it led Luna to you after Voldemort was defeated. I think it has earned some thanks."

I scoffed at him. "I have done plenty for its creator. But every time I repay him, he proceeds to put me in his debt again." Part of me was frustrated by this, as that part wanted to see Lupin as the boy who would torture me for his pleasure.

But that boy never existed, at least not in his skin. The son of his original packmate reminded me of this fact.

"That's usually how friendships work." Potter smiled before walking away to check on the others' progress.

I just watched him leave, dumbfounded.

====

After the last potion was completed and delivered, I assured Potter that my apprentices would be of adequate help for the next day's orders.

So the packmates took their leave, each admonishing me to go straight to Hogsmeade once I finished straightening the shop. When I grumbled, Potter assured me that they did not want to confine me for more than another day or two. But that time was necessary to ensure that the papers reported that I had the protection of Ministry officials and the pack that half of wizarding London wanted to join.

I sighed with relief at the thought that I would soon be able to choose my own times to be overrun by Lupin's charges (for I knew he would not allow me to avoid them all together). But I had chosen to take on the Alpha himself that morning. So I grabbed my chess set from the closet in my office and floo'd to Lupin's house.

Of course, I was not going to let the man or the feelings he provoked overwhelm me without fighting back. According to Potter, he had started a relationship without consulting me. That would not do. So as soon as I saw him dozing in his armchair by the fire, I went straight over to him and snapped, "What are you trying to do, you idiot?! I have only ever had one friend!"

Without opening his eyes, he replied, "I can name five people who consider themselves your friends, not including myself. And most of the pack is already clamoring to get on the list." Then he straightened and let me see the hazel depths that have been steadying my world lately. "But, yes, I realize Lily was the only person you let close enough to you for the relationship to be mutual."

Not taking his eyes from mine, Lupin stood up and held my arm to guide me to his kitchen. "I could have easily been your friend when she was if Sirius hadn't been yelling in my ear all the time about how much he hated you. It was my mistake that I didn't yell back to shut him up."

Lupin examined my face after he waved me to a chair at the table. "If you really want me to leave you alone, I will. But since you came home eight years ago, you've constantly looked like you were in need of a friend. I can't bring Lily back. I can try to correct my mistakes and be the friend I should have been before we lost her."

I watched as he pulled a package out of the icebox and cast some heating spells on it. But distraction couldn't shake my worry. "I will never be an ideal friend to you. It has always been difficult for me to relate to people. Even with Lily."

"I am well aware of that," Lupin said as he smiled gently at me. "I can forgive your errors, as long as they have good intent. In return, all I ask of you right now is to try to forgive me for the one thing I cannot control."

Right now? I didn't know if our relationship could make it through the night, let alone long enough for it to achieve any changes. But I pushed that aside as Lupin looked at me worriedly.

So I nodded. "The wolf's existence is not your fault, nor were its threats towards me. I do not know how to forgive a wild animal. But you are not to blame."

"Thank you." Lupin seemed to sag with relief. Automatically, I reached out a hand to try to steady him.

"I-I'm fine." he whispered with a tremor in his voice. He turned away to retrieve some dinnerware for our meal.

As I watched him, I realized that my acceptance of the wolf had been more important to him than my acceptance of his guardianship. He could always guard me from three steps away, as he had since I had come back. But if I did not accept his curse and the lack of control that came with it, there was nothing he could do. He could not change what he was.

And I could not change that I was not a cheerful and friendly man. But he didn't appear to need me to. He just seemed to want me to be well.

But that concerned me. Because I may have been as well as I could be physically (once my wrist healed), but mentally and emotionally, I was close to the state he had been in before he created his pack. I teetered on the edge of oblivion most nights when my mind was not occupied with potions or the repayment of debt to the man in front of me.

"If you need me to listen to whatever's bothering you, I most certainly will," Lupin whispered in my ear, breaking me out of my reverie. "But let's eat first. I wouldn't want Hannah Longbottom worried that we didn't appreciate her efforts."

He put a plate in front of me, then sat down with his own. For a moment, my stomach turned as I imagined that what he offered to me would drive him away. I was not a handsome man who would give him something to admire, nor one who could ease him with a good demeanor. So I believed it was likely that when he found out how ugly and festering I truly was, he would send me packing and revoke his protection of me.

"Are you bringing Voldemort back from the dead again?" he asked suddenly, in a sharper tone than I'd ever heard from him before.

"What?!" I replied, startled.

"Are you bringing Voldemort back from the dead?" he repeated.

"No!" I nearly yelled, afraid that he was suddenly becoming like those who had hounded me. My eyes narrowed as I looked for accusations on his face.

But he just looked back at me calmly. Then his voice turned gentle. "Then eat your dinner. We'll fight with your demons after I clean up. I have two chocolate bars and a pot of tea to help us with it."

I looked at him worriedly. "You don't know what you're saying..."

Lupin sighed as he squeezed the arm I had laid on the table. "I've been in charge of four rescues of abused werewolves in the past ten years. I've seen the horrors they've had to endure. I've listened to their stories, and wept with them because I couldn't take away the pain they were left with. Some of them had stories of conditions much worse than what my ten children suffered under. And some of them had tortured the others in order to escape further abuse. So believe me when I tell you that nothing short of starting a third war is going to make me throw you out into the cold."

I stared at him for a moment. His gaze did not waver as his eyes locked with mine. "You can trust me," he whispered.

"I don't know how to trust anybody but Lily," I sighed.

"Start by letting me ply you with good food and chocolate." Lupin tapped my hand that held the fork. He seemed relieved when I finally started eating.

"There had better be an American chocolate bar on your tea tray," I muttered as I tried to calm myself enough to do that simple task.

The gentle smile that so mirrored our lost friend was back when he replied, "Of course there is. I may be an idiot, but I'm not a complete fool."


	13. Remus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Pechat for reminding me that some things need further explanation.  
> A troublesome event tag applies to this chapter.  
> 

I was almost as nervous as Severus was when we settled on the sofa by the fire, with a small table holding the tea tray in front of us.

I could see that he believed his secrets would drive me away. With all that he had to endure from others, he had plenty of reason for that conviction. But I was determined to be there for him, as he had been there for me when I needed to be heard. So I waited as he stared into the fire.

I watched him fiddle with the chocolate bar Dorian had given me for him. The simple sweet that had caused a minor uproar in the community house a few days ago. Severus's thoughts had not been considered meaningful by others for so long that I might have overreacted when one of the pack expressed his own. Although that moment was not the time to tell him about it, I suspected that Severus would have appreciated my defense of his opinion.

\---When I followed Daryl back after sleeping in Severus' shop, I immediately thanked him for helping me sort through what we knew about the taciturn man's preferences. I knew that if I could find him things he liked, he might feel more understood, and therefore be more likely to trust me. Food was the easiest category to start with, as I was aware of some of his likes. Having just found another, I was eager to give him more of it. "He liked the American chocolate you put in my pocket. Can Stu get him more anytime soon?"

Daryl turned to Dorian, who was cleaning up the gathering room. Dorian nodded. "He's going to see his uncle in San Francisco tomorrow. I'll see if he can pick up some of those fruits his uncle suggested as well."

"American chocolate is awful!" Michael wrinkled his nose as he came in from checking the wards in the yard. "Why would you feed the Prince that?"

Daryl, Dorian, and I just looked at each other, then in unison retorted, "Because he likes it!"

Dorian added, "If you insist he must eat chocolate the Isles, find something that is closer to that," he pointed to the black bag that had contained the chocolate, "than it is to Honeyduke's. The one time Alpha saw him eat Honeyduke's chocolate, he was wincing as if in pain."

I nodded. "I need to show him he matters. His opinions matter. Merlin, I'd let him fill one of my cabinets with peanut butter if that's what he wanted."

"I told you he had it bad," Dorian said smugly as Michael looked at me in shock. The one time Stu had brought peanut butter to the community house, I had stayed out of the kitchen until it was gone.---

I let go of my musings as I waited for Severus to speak. Not grabbing for his hand was difficult. I wanted to comfort him and reassure him that whatever he told me would be accepted. But I was sure he needed the distance from me to gather his strength. When he finally did, he faced away from me and stared into the fire. 

His voice had none of its normal bite when he said, "My appearance has always caused me grief of some kind, much as your wolf has for you. It never bothered Lily. But Sirius Black seemed to hate me for it. Regulus Black seemed repulsed by it. Lucius Malfoy, however, took advantage of it."

Severus shivered despite the warmth of the room. "While your tiny pack was throwing Marlene McKinnon at you to help you into maturity, Lucuis Malfoy was trying to convince me that my looks were horrid. They apparently were so horrid that he was the only one who could possibly help me 'grow up'.

"I refused him repeatedly. He revered the beautiful Slytherin girls, especially Narcissa. He used and discarded the boys who caught his eye. But I was an adolescent. Like most people that age, I was curious about sex. He was willing to provide it when nobody else would. I took him up on the offer a few days after Lily went on her first date with Potter. Because that was when I knew that I had lost her. She had stopped talking to me. At the time, I suspected it was because of my looks. I was still too childish to realize that my spouting of the dogma going around the Syltherin dorms was probably starting to scare her."

He sighed. "Sex with Lucius was impersonal. In fact, it was an act of mental brutality. He didn't touch me anymore than he had to. And he mocked my looks as he did it, more than your friends did. He kept telling me that he should cast an obscuring spell on my face beforehand. He claimed he didn't because then he wouldn't see when my nose would hit him.

"After the first time, being with him was a chore. But I let him do it until we left Hogwarts because it distracted me from Lily's absence. Then it helped me with the confusion I felt around you."

"Confusion?" I asked, surprised. I had thought that all he felt for me was hate until the first time he sat by my bedside in St. Mungo's.

Severus nodded. "You stirred something within me. Especially when I thought about you when I was with Lucius. It made me want to reject my arrangement with him. So I did my best not to think of you at all. Once Lucius was engaged to Narcissa, our arrangement stopped. I was relieved. When I was away from you and Lily, I didn't need the distraction. I could concentrate on my potions and then helping Voldemort with his quest. Until he killed Lily and her husband.

"I concentrated on repenting any actions I took that contributed to her death after that. I confessed to Albus and agreed to spy on Riddle. I watched over the younger Potter as much as that foolish boy would let me. You were just an uncomfortable memory until Albus called you in to teach.

"Albus specifically told me to keep my distance from you because he remembered my reaction to your lycanthropy. I had been brutal, mocking. Much like others were to me. What he didn't realize was that my insults were meant to remind myself that if I approached you, I would most likely be hurt by your rejection.

"That became harder to believe when I saw your demeanor away from your childhood friends. You were much more like Lily than you were like Potter or Black. I convinced myself that it was an illusion. I told myself you really were as awful as I remembered. That was enough to allow me to keep my distance until Albus announced in March that your lycanthropy would not be enough to break the curse on the DADA position.

"That put me into a panic. I knew that a spell I had cast before our graduation, by Voldemort's request, had reinforced that curse. You had been a friend to Lily, so the idea of being responsible for your severe pain or death was abhorrent. But I couldn't break the curse. The only thing I could do in such short notice was to have you removed. Albus was not happy with my decision, but as that let you free to help with the war effort, he eventually stopped bothering me about it."

At this point, I could see that there was more he needed to tell. But the weight of it all was dragging him down. So I gently took the candy bar from his hand, opened it, and broke a piece off for him. He ate it without a word. But his expressive face relaxed slightly. I considered that enough thanks.

Severus closed his eyes, and almost appeared to be sleeping before he continued, "With Black by your side, it was easier to avoid you. And when you married Nymphadora, I berated myself for my occasional inquiries to the Order about your well-being. You had no interest in me, why should I waste my time asking about you?"

I frowned. "I admit, I spent most of that time worrying about Harry and my family. But I had no idea you had made yourself a prisoner in the school to protect the students."  

Severus's hands shook as he admitted, "I had to distract Riddle's favorite playmates, or the true nature of Longbottom's rebellion would have been discovered before he called the Order for help. I knew about it when Dennis Creevy joined the group. That boy couldn't keep his mouth shut. So I regularly used a muffling spell around whatever section of the castle contained the Room of Requirements when I spotted it. But for the most part, I just ignored the students. I was supposed to sound alarms if anything was out of order. The best I could do to aid the new order was to stay silent."

Severus looked at me when I twitched, trying my best to not reach out to him, even though everything in me screamed out that I should. But I wasn't sure he'd accept comfort right then. "Your silence saved lives," I said instead.

Severus laughed bitterly. "And nearly cost me mine. The pain the basilisk's bite caused had me wishing for death, even as the anti-venom healed me. The mutilation of my hands was almost an afterthought. But then I found myself facing you again. And I found that my insecurities were more troubling than either pain. Because when you became my main companion for six months, I had no choice but to admit that I was attracted to you."

I didn't realize the choked sound that I heard was my own until Severus stared me in the eye. "I wasn't going to do anything about it, you fool. You had just lost your wife."

I shook my head. He was interpreting my response as similar to those who rejected him. But that moment, heavy with the pain of his past, wasn't the time for explanations. So I steeled myself for *his* rejection as I grasped his hand in both of mine. 

I sighed with relief when he just tightened his fingers around mine. Then he continued. "I had no idea that you had any regard for me at the time. In fact, I assumed that you hated me, despite evidence to the contrary. My excuse for ignoring your actions was a belief that you were just like Albus Dumbledore. You were kind to everyone, no matter what.

"But I found that your kindness kindled in me the feelings that Lucius' midnight trysts almost buried. I began to ask myself how Nymphadora had felt while resting in your arms. I wondered if she had found the wolf a sympathetic being, especially with the Wolfsbane to keep your mind present. And I wondered if my countenance was more pleasing, would you finally touch me?"

"I would have done so if you asked. I would have been glad to give you that comfort, even though I wouldn't have been capable of more than this at the time," I commented quietly, looking at our entwined hands. "But I didn't want to overstep my bounds. You were still regularly insulting me. I considered that a sign that I should keep at least a hand's length between us."

Severus nodded. "I probably would have misinterpreted any overture. Because my attraction scared me. The human side of you caused feelings in me that were so similar to those I felt for Lily that it felt like a betrayal. And I had no idea how to reconcile the wolf with the rest of you.

"But because of my attraction, I became obsessed with the idea of changing my looks. I began to believe that if I looked more appealing, people would stop accusing me of being as evil as Voldemort, and I would be more prepared to explore my sexuality properly. So once we were released from St. Mungo's, I went in search of all magic pertaining to beauty. The search drove me out of southern England rather quickly, as some of the more compelling legends were in Asia. Quite honestly, I needed to leave. I was starting to believe some of the insulting statements.

"So I chased the legends across the world during those ten years you spent raising your impromptu family. But most of what I found were illusions or tales based on muggle surgery or adornments. When I was in France, I considered the surgery, but it reminded me too much of the self mutilation rumors that had surrounded Riddle. I also contemplated not returning to England, as I had much less prejudice against me in the rest of the world. But when I discovered a group that proclaimed to have found some sort of 'Stone of Beauty' in Cornwall, I decided to return home.

"What I had actually found was a group of Death Eater sympathizers who were trying to use the magic in unattractive beings to call Voldemort back from the dead. I didn't realize this until they had me locked in the pen they contained the beings in. Although their methods to call forth evil were child's play, their incarceration spells were unbreakable. So I had no choice but to see to their other prisoners. One of them, oddly enough, was a werewolf who reminded me very much of you."

Severus smiled towards the fire for a moment as he remembered. "We didn't use real names while we were in our cage. It felt wrong, somehow. Those names might mean our deaths. Especially in my case. Everyone by then had heard that I had been a spy. But surprisingly, my captors didn't recognize me. If they had, they probably would have killed me outright.

"So the mutilated Veela became Dawn, as she loved to look out the window above our heads at the rising sun. The young man bearing burn scars across his face was Fred. He reminded me much of the lost Weasley twin with his love of illogical jokes. The young werewolf with somewhat blonde hair and hazel eyes, I named Precious, as she was actually what most people would refer to as cute. In fact, it took me until the full moon to figure out why she was with us. It was not her human form they wanted, but the wolf. I caught glimpses of it through the broken slats of the door to the livestock pen they confined it to. The wolf seemed to have developed a sickness. Its hair was falling out in clumps.

"They called me M'Lord, as I found that the best way to get anything that was needed, food, blankets, or medicine, was to act more haughtily than Voldemort and Lucius combined. Although it was obvious that I was not the friendliest of people, the other prisoners realized the haughtiness was fictitious very quickly. But if our captors discovered that, it would soon cease to be useful. So my three companions often made a big show of bowing down to me. But that was all I could do for them, until I saw that one of our captors was having some kind of tryst in the livestock pen. He had accidentally left the gate unlocked after one of his rendezvous, on the afternoon of the full moon.

"That observation led me to a horrendously merciful act. Precious, being the most attractive of us, had become a prize to be taken by our captors. The first year of my imprisonment, it hadn't been too difficult to persuade them that she was too young. She hadn't reached puberty yet. I told them that they would enjoy her more if she was fully mature. But by the end of the second year, that rationalization no longer worked. I offered my body in her stead, which satisfied them for two months. Then, the day before the full moon, she fought one of them off by kicking him in the groin. That night, she told me that she would rather die than let them rape her. So I didn't say anything to anyone about the unlocked gate, in hopes of either her escape or that someone would curse the wolf to death when it tried to attack.

"Although I never found her body, I believe my silence led to her death. I heard the gate crash open a moment after the moon rose. A few minutes later, I heard a yelp from a distance. She never returned. Two months later, a group of Aurors stormed in and retrieved us. The Veela's spouse had finally found a clue to her whereabouts. When you saw me at the Ministry, I was arguing to see Shacklebolt. I wanted the girl's body found and given a proper burial. But even though Shacklebolt and Potter went back personally to the site to search, they could not find her."

I squeezed Severus's hand, knowing any words of sympathy I could give would be inadequate. He had done all that he could for his cellmates, but like at Hogwarts, he had been left with very little afterwards.

We sat in silence, both struggling with our own thoughts. Then my floo came to life.

"Alpha, can I come through?" Laura, the pack's fully trained medi-witch asked a moment later.

I nodded, knowing that she would want to check on Severus's wrist and my general condition. She was methodical about after-moon check-ups. She had developed an infection in her leg right after Daryl and Michael had rescued her outside of Cornwall. They had found her during the full moon, so Daryl had had to bite her tail to restrain her. But he had forgotten to ask Lia to examine her when they brought her to the community house the next day.

So I just sat calmly as Laura asked me about my aches, and checked my chest and the side where Chris's knife would have landed.

But when she turned to Severus to check his wrist, he stared at her dirty blond hair and began to tremble violently. He tried to speak, but "Pr-Pr." was all he could get out.

Without hesitation, Laura leaned in and kissed Severus on the top of his head. Then she whispered, "M'Lord, I thought you knew."

A moment later, he broke down in sobs. Laura immediately dropped to her knees in front of him, while I wrapped my arm around him. Then we held him as he finally let go of his anguish.


	14. Remus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to my Bijou.

Laura and I let Severus cry until he exhausted his sobs. I suspected that forty years worth of tears fell across my arm, so I owed it to our friends, and to Severus, to help him pry them loose from the confines of his guilt. Because only now was he beginning to believe his innocence in the crimes the other wizards accused him of.

When he finally calmed, we answered his questions about the rescue. No, Laura's wolf hadn't been sick. It had been having a stress reaction similar to the one my wolf had had while I was teaching. Yes, Daryl had found her the night she had escaped the farm. Nobody who would have harmed her had touched her. Yes, we had tried to find the rest of them. But Laura's descriptions of the three other captives had only been specific enough to contact one of the Veela councils in Paris.

Laura had called Severus kind, fatherly even. Those had never been words I had heard associated with him. So that alone had been enough to eliminate him as her potential protector. If I had known, or even suspected he was being held captive, the pack wouldn't have waited for the Ministry to figure out who the captors were before helping in the rescue. And I would have been there personally instead of sending Jaro and Ned.

Yes, the other two captives had been reunited with family. Mona (Dawn) had regular contact with Fleur Weasley. She was happily living in the woods of Norway with her husband. Frederick (yes, his actual name was Fred, but we called him Ricky) was engaged to Laura. The only reason Severus hadn't seen him earlier was that he was visiting his mother in New York.

Laura hadn't realized that the one Daryl had called the Prince was her savior father figure until Severus had started making the Wolfsbane. But she remembered Severus staring at her during that first delivery. He hadn't said anything, so she assumed he recognized her but didn't want to acknowledge it in public.

Severus shook his head at that. "You are healthy and strong, Precious. My mind wouldn't let me think of what you should have become. But your eyes had always held a kindness similar to your leader's. I hadn't had the nerve to look too many people in the eye until tonight, when I told Lu--Remus our tale." He choked a little on my name. But I could see that it brought forth a few more tears, rather than the hatred that I would have expected earlier. I just tightened my arm around him in response.

Laura kissed Severus's immobilized hand then stood up. "You're tired, Your Highness." (That pulled a genuine smile to Severus's lips.) "I'll help you to bed if you'd like."

When Severus nodded, I let him go and gently eased him into Laura's capable hands. Then I went into my bedroom to get ready for bed myself, and to let them talk privately.

I had just written a few notes to send to Daryl in the morning (so that the pack leaders knew that Laura might look to Severus for leadership as much as me. I didn't want her to be reprimanded or harassed for it. The warning was more for the humans than the wolves, specifically Molly Weasley.), when Laura knocked on my bedroom door.

"Why aren't you in your sleep clothes, Alpha?" Laura asked after I let her in. "M'Lord is waiting."

When I stuttered through an explanation that our relationship wasn't romantic, that I hadn't asked Severus about that yet, Laura smiled. "I know. He told me. But he also told me you spend most nights that trouble him at his bedside. And I think we can all agree that this will probably be such a night.  We are both glad that he told you about our ordeal, and that you helped us. But that time in our past has a few violent episodes he skipped over, ones that haunt him. They will probably trouble him tonight. And I know you won't make him face them alone.

"But you know sleeping in a chair is bad for your back. Severus let me widen his bed so that you both have enough space. Please use the bed instead of Teddy's rocker. Or I will be forced to tell Poppy exactly why you can't walk correctly tomorrow morning." Laura glared at me, much like the man who she looked up to.

I sighed and found a pair of pyjamas. When I was changed, I followed Laura into Severus's room. "Why are you all so obedient unless whatever needs to be done concerns me?"

"Because they know better than to leave you on your own. You are abysmal at taking care of yourself," Severus snapped from where he was sitting on the bed. "One of the few things I admired about Black was his ability to see to your unique needs while ignoring all of your objections. Your wife was similarly motivated, from what I could tell. She practically threw herself at you for your own good."

"I can see that you're feeling better," I murmured as I slipped into bed beside him.

Severus ignored me for the moment and turned to Laura. "I agreed to some kind of relationship with this fool. Who do I ask for help if he gets overly stubborn about his well-being?"

Laura tried to hide a laugh as I let out an exasperated sigh. "I will always help you, Severus. But if I'm busy, Daryl and Maya are usually the best at arguing him into taking care of himself. If he's being especially stubborn, contact Teddy and Harry. They seem to have secret weapons. We use those sparingly."

She went around the bed, tucking us both in. "Please take care of yourself as well. Daryl told me you were customizing a pain potion for Alpha. If taking his readings makes you uncomfortable, Poppy or I could do it."

"Although I trust you and Madame Pomfrey more than most people, I wouldn't want to burden either of you. I modified some of the spells to be more accurate. Unfortunately, they are difficult to teach to others." Severus shrugged.

I frowned at this. I expected to be uncomfortable during the process. But if something in it disturbed Severus, perhaps it was best not to do it.

Laura shook her head, then expressed my very thought. "Then take the readings only when you feel comfortable, or don't do it. I'm sure I can find a decent conventional substitute to the solution that charlatan sold to Daryl."

"I would hate to think that you were bothered by helping me," I agreed firmly.

"The situation isn't simple. I need to think about it before I decide whether I should see to my own needs more than yours." He looked up at Laura as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "I will consider it carefully, Precious. The task might prove to be useful rather than troubling."

Laura nodded, apparently satisfied for the moment. She kissed Severus's cheek before bowing to me. "I wish both of you a calm night. I'll check on you tomorrow afternoon. I'll bring Ricky by your shop, Severus. He gets back in the morning." Then she walked out of the room and shut the door.

After she left, I settled for sleep, hoping Severus would do the same. But he seemed to grow increasingly agitated.

So I grabbed his hand and asked, "Do I need to call Laura back?"

A moment later he calmed. "No," he whispered as his fingers tightened their grip around mine.

I squeezed his hand as I turned on my side to face him in the darkness. "It would be easier on us both if you had a signal to inform me that you want me to touch you or come closer. I do understand that asking or coming closer to me may be difficult, given what you've endured. But you are the Legilimens, not me. I can't help chase away your demons if I don't know they are bothering you."

"Perhaps I should use my wand to tap coded messages," Severus mused. Suspecting that he wasn't entirely serious, I asked, "Does that mean I will have to find my mother's old notes on Morse code?"

"Perhaps." We chuckled softly, then Severus whispered, "I cannot ask you to stay. Whenever I remember my time as a captive, I get little or no sleep during the night. Knowing Laura is among your group may make that worse, as my rationalization concerning my inaction was that she could no longer be harmed."

"I'm not leaving this bed until my alarm tells me it's time to go to Hogwarts. I slept most of the day, so I won't be bothered by staying awake to help you sleep." I reached over to his side of the bed. He flinched slightly when I bumped his nose. But he calmed when I just traced its ridge gently before cupping his cheek. "And I believe Minerva would gladly have me serve detention with the potions troublemakers if I went to work after letting you suffer here."

Severus rested his free hand on my arm, and for just a moment, despite the clothes and the distance between us, I imagined we were entwined like two lovers. The sight of Severus examining my face just reinforced the thought.

But then he closed his eyes. So I focused on thinking the calming spell that I had used during Maya's and Teddy's worst nightmares. I soon felt his cheek warm a little as the magic slid over him. Then I kept my vigil against his demons, just as I had promised him.

Despite his fears, Severus didn't wake until my alarm sounded. His calmness also allowed me a bit more sleep.

I was somehow not surprised to find his forehead resting against my shoulder when I awoke.


	15. Edward (Teddy)

Families have always been complicated. The people who raised you often were everything to you when you were young, then lost some of their influence as you got older. Politics abounded in many of them. Sometimes there was a uniting person at the top of a ladder. Sometimes there was no ladder at all. But families that stayed together found a rhythm, a thread that everyone could grasp. It was through that that they grew and thrived.

Packs, as dictated by the werewolf curse, were simple. At least in theory. There was a hierarchy, with a leader at the head, and often his or her trusted beta and lieutenants below. There was order and understanding of who you owed your loyalty to. And when you or your Alpha's authority was threatened by someone, you could challenge them to rid the pack of danger by death, demotion, or exile. In fact, threat to the Alpha often compelled those under them to challenge, especially if the threat was from outside the pack. The curse favored internal successions.

Both types of groups had their successes and their failures. But in my Dad's experience, packs seemed to be more problematic. When I talked to my godfather about it, Harry told me that Dad had been terrified after he killed my siblings' first Alpha. He hadn't wanted to become another Greyback or Falcher.

Four of the wolves accepted him because he had protected Daryl. The younger ones looked up to them, so had no reason to question his authority if the older ones accepted it. But Daryl hadn't known what Dad had done. So he challenged Dad. Dad said he narrowly averted disaster by officially giving Daryl the authority he already had, but that Falcher had never acknowledged. But then he was left with the dilemma of how to keep his own power in check. 

His fear was his saving grace, oddly enough. Because he was scared enough to seek help almost immediately. He called on Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Harry (who brought me along, as he had been watching me at the time). We sat in the Headmistress's office while Dad stammered out that he had never seen a pack that didn't have an abusive element to it. The curse compelled the wolves in their obedience to the point that many agreed to the abuse for the sake of the pack.

Harry told me that was the point at which the Headmistress dug in a cabinet in the back of the office and pulled out a few books. As he handed me to my father to calm him a little, McGonagall paged through one of the books until she found what she needed. She nodded in satisfaction, then met my father's eyes. "Well, what about your first Alpha? Or your second?"

All of them knew that Dad had never declared Greyback his Alpha, so the three men were thoroughly confused until McGonagall smiled and said, "An Alpha doesn't need to be cursed, Remus. Nor do any of the leading hierarchy. You've had two Alphas, two packs, and never knew it. And both Alphas did their best to help you without abusing their authority over you."

Harry said Kingsley started laughing as they realized who McGonagall was referring to. "Dumbledore and the Order makes perfect sense. But a stag leading a wolf? I'm surprised you didn't challenge James Potter just because that went against the rules of predator and prey."

A moment later, Harry had to pull me out of Dad's arms, as Dad went for Kingsley's throat. McGonagall stepped between them and quickly diffused the situation with, "Remus, Kingsley knows how good James was to you. He's not challenging."

Harry was as shocked as Dad by what just happened. Dad leaned back and drew in a shaky breath. Then he looked up to McGonagall with a dawning understanding. "You're not compelled by anything, are you?" 

McGonagall shook her head. "I just knew you'd listen to me because I was higher than either of you in Albus's hierarchy."

"I need humans in the pack. Right away. People to keep me in check." Harry said Dad's hands were trembling so much at that point that he was afraid to give me back to Dad, in case he dropped me.

"And to see how flexible the pack can be," Kingsley said, a bit more quietly. "James knew you needed friends. He wasn't looking to be your boss. These kids need parents, teachers. Even the oldest, Daryl."

Dad nodded. "But I have to be firm in the humans' authority. I don't want Daryl challenging them the first time he disagrees with them. The packs Albus sent me to used all types of symbols and labels so that everyone knew who had authority over what. I'll have to find something that makes it clear to Daryl that these are the humans who report directly to me until I say otherwise."

"Ma'am, Sir?" Kingsley suggested. Dad shook his head. "That would confuse Daryl. It would put practically every adult in authority above him. He needs to know who I trust."

By this time, Harry had given me the Marauder's Map (which he had used to find Dad after Dad had frantically called him to the school) to play with to keep me quiet. He knew I couldn't rip it because Dad had put all kinds of protections on it to keep teachers (and Sirius, when he was in a snit) from mangling it. But somehow, I activated its spell.

Harry said he watched the four Marauders' names appear while he was thinking about Dad's dilemma. So he asked Dad, "Why do the Marauders' names have the French word for misters in front of them?"

"What?" That seemed to distract Dad for a moment. "Oh, Sirius had gotten another awful letter from his parents the day I made the front of the map. James had grabbed the letter out of Sirius' hand to read it and asked why everyone mentioned in the letter had French honorifics except Sirius. Sirius replied that they were pureblood, and using French made them sound important. In order to cheer up Sirius, James told me that we all needed French honorifics too, because we were all as important as the Blacks' lousy friends. I put it on the map so that Sirius didn't forget that."

Harry smiled at the story, then simply said, "How does French sound to you, Monsieur Kingsley?"

"Like a very good idea, Monsieur Harry," Kingsley said with a chuckle.

In that moment, a pack and a family was created.

====

I was the one with the most flexibility in the arrangement. I was Dad's biological child, so I was the expected successor. That made me higher than Daryl in the pack hierarchy. But Dad made it very clear to Daryl by the time I could speak that he was allowed to reprimand me for not following the rules. Daryl said the hardest thing he did after he turned eighteen wasn't looking at Harry and Neville as equals. It was sending me to Dad to be scolded after I had torn up some of Maya's school papers.

Harry had been at the cottage that day, and had seen how much the curse fought with Daryl's logical mind. So he started taking me to Grandma Andi's house twice a month so that we could talk about my siblings. Harry and Grandma taught me about lycanthropy and the parts of the curse that weren't obvious to people. As I grew, our conversations turned to more serious issues than how much sleep the wolves lost during the moon. During my later childhood, Harry talked about the delicate balance Dad was trying to achieve between family and pack.

Harry helped me understand how much Dad needed my cooperation to maintain that balance.

It took until I was a year short of going to Hogwarts to trust that I understood. That was the year of the first rescue operation. Kingsley and Harry had found a pack of wolves being held by a group of xenophobic wizards in Scotland, about thirty miles from Hogwarts. Dad was getting ready to teach that summer, so he and Daryl had decided to move me and Jaro to a house in Hogsmeade, keep the rest of the main pack in Wales, and use Ned's new community house as a rehabilitation center for the five men and women they were rescuing. 

The pack had already decided to become public, to help the Ministry change the laws. The rescue just sped up the process. So Moonchild wrote a letter to the papers asking for everyone's good thoughts and support during the rescue and their patience during the wolves' recovery. To the wolves Dad rescued, this showed his authority and his respect for their previous Alpha, who had died before the rescue. Despite Dad's planning, one of Eliza Fob's lieutenants still challenged Dad. Luckily, it was a battle of words. Dad could handle those. But it was a challenge just the same. (We found out later that it was usually the wolves abused by their Alpha who challenged physically or by magic. Dad had been very lucky when he was able to diffuse Daryl's challenge without a physical fight.)

Laura Sinas came to us two years after that, during the chain rescues (a single person at a time) that Daryl and Michael were doing. Dad authorized these but often kept track of them from Hogwarts, so that he didn't miss classes. Laura, too, challenged Dad verbally when he met her in the community house the morning after her rescue. But the odd thing was, she claimed to never have had an Alpha. Until Dad asked her about the older human who had been held with her. 

Moments later, Daryl pulled out the notebook in which he put notes on the members. I watched as he wrote: Laura Sinas Alpha - My Lord.

====

Laura had worried about her former Alpha for years after she joined us. That was what drew me to her initially, her loyalty to both men her wolf called Alpha. So I found it easy to talk to her about my growing love for Victoire and my fear that she wouldn't accept my pack, my family.

Laura discussed the issue with me frankly and reassured me that love didn't have to be narrow. We grew close. So close that when she was studying to become a medi-witch, I read her textbooks and found I liked the idea. After I started my medical training, we worked together to neutralize the challenge problem of the curse, with some success.

So I was rather shocked when Laura, Ricky and Daryl walked into the potions shop, with Daryl holding the battered 'lineage' notebook tucked under one arm.

Al and I watched curiously as Snape embraced Laura, then Ricky, before taking them back to his office. Snape looked us over, then said, "Let me know if I need to make any adjustments." to Daryl before closing the door.

Daryl then pulled out two scrolls. "Ok, you two. I'm here to make sure that you've started learning the correct skills." While I worked on some orders for stomach easing potions, Daryl sat down with Al and quizzed him on some of the things he'd been learning over the past few days.

After twenty minutes of this, Daryl nodded and declared that the tasks satisfied the list that Francis Grady had given him. So he sent Al back to learning to recognize potions ingredients as he stocked shelves.

Then the Beta turned to me. I could see the St. Mungo's stamp on the top of the scroll he unwound. But before he went down their list of requirements, he set the lineage notebook on the scroll so only I could see it. It was already open to a written page. Daryl let his thumb slip down, then stop. Looking at the line indicated, I read 'Laura Sinas Alpha - My Lord - HBP.'

I nearly choked on my next breath as I absorbed the message. "Does he know?" I whispered.

Daryl shook his head. "He just found out that everyone who was imprisoned with him is alive. I didn't want to overwhelm Snape with that little fact. He has enough to adjust to with last night's revelation, and your dad's attention. But I need to see how Laura reacts to having them both around. Alpha said something about coaxing the Prince to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner tonight." 

I nodded. "Snape seems to actually like Neville...I think. And Neville's usually at the Leaky for dinner, helping out."

Daryl shrugged. "At the very least, familiar faces will help the Prince get used to all of us. Now, let's look at the list I have. I really did go to St. Mungo's. Merlin forbid the best potions master in London teaches you the wrong things."

I chuckled as we began to go over the list. "Knowing our boss, it will probably be the right things for the patients, and St. Mungo's will have it all wrong."

Daryl smirked. "That will only help our cause."

So for the next hour, we made notes on a few things St. Mungo's seemed to have forgotten on the list they sent.

When we were finished, I saw Dad outside the front window, so I knocked on the office door. The three reunited comrades came out a little haggard but calm. I suspected they had discussed some tough memories.

Daryl handed Snape the notes he had made about our initial progress, then found a corner of the shop to watch from as Dad came in.

The minute she had both of her Alphas in front of her, Laura became noticeably agitated. So agitated that Snape became alarmed. Ricky tried to wrap an arm around her, but she shrugged it off. I called to her. "Laura, you should see all the things St. Mungo's isn't teaching." The reply I got was a stony look.

I wondered why there hadn't been a problem the night before (Laura had told me she was going to check on Dad) when I saw Snape's hand twitch by his side. Dad stared at it for a moment, then moved over to slide his hand into Snape's. He even gave Snape a small kiss on his temple, like he had given all of his children to tell us when we did something right.

Snape noticeably relaxed. A moment later, so did Laura.

"I know what your dinner discussion will be about." Daryl said to Dad as he nodded towards Laura.

Dad shrugged stoically. "I was afraid of this. We'll work something out." He smiled at Laura. "I promise you, I will do my best to not make you choose."

Laura sighed, looking relieved as Ricky pulled her close.

Severus appeared puzzled for a moment, then gave a small shrug before he said, "We will also need to discuss the readings for the pain potion. You will need it by the next full moon, and I believe they will be more accurate when you are not on Wolfsbane, so I will need to take the readings soon."

Laura became worried again as she whispered in Ricky's ear. Dad patted her arm without letting go of Severus's hand. "We will discuss it. But you will have tell me why it makes your two former charges act as if you decided to duel with Voldemort, alone."

Severus agreed reluctantly. The three people surrounding him relaxed enough to let him come over to Al and me to tell us that we should finish the day's work and close up the shop.

As he passed by Daryl, the Beta reached to pat him on the shoulder. "Sometimes being cared for is hard. If you ever need an ear, I'll listen. I know how hard it is."

"Do you all have your Alpha's Gryffindor attitude?" Severus asked sharply. I had the feeling Daryl had hit the nail into the heart of the matter. Because now Severus was trying to cover up his feelings.

Daryl just shook his head. "You are one of us. Family. Because you love one of us." He nodded towards Laura. "Nobody can take that away from you, not even Remus. Though I think he'd sooner give up chocolate."

I snickered softly as Severus became wide-eyed for a second before Daryl guided him back to the others.

Al stared out the front window as the group made their way down Diagon Alley. "Families aren't like pack, then," he commented as we cleaned up. "They are so messy. Being in a pack seems much simpler."

I wasn't surprised by Al's observation. He had been an orphan since he could remember, and he hadn't had a pack until Dad rescued him. So our group was the first experience he had with either.

We had become friends almost immediately. And he seemed to hang on my every word. Suddenly, I understood the sense of responsibility Dad had towards all of us. In the last year, I learned a lot about understanding when your words counted. In this instance, they counted a lot.

So I told him what I knew about families.

"Family is a label best put on people you love, no matter how complicated they are."


	16. Severus

Even though I had spent the last twenty years trying to change myself, I knew that change was painful. I had endured loss, and it had made me bitter. I had endured the rise of evil, and it nearly shredded every good thought I had ever had. When the war was over, I went across the world seeking help. By the time Voldemort fell, I could no longer see anything redeeming in myself. I had become too ugly.

Coming home after another excruciating loss added humiliation to my pain. But it was tempered, pushed away by hands other than mine. Although that was helpful, it was also exasperating, because it meant I owed the owner of those hands. I had never been good at repaying favors.

But slowly, our mutual kindness tug of war changed me. It eased some of my pain, allowing me to breathe.

Then he changed everything on me. He embraced me, gave me hope. Then he gave me those who I had thought I lost. 

So as I stared at our entwined hands as he guided me through the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron, I felt as if I was washed clean. The ugliness seemed like a glamour that others had forced on me.

I was afraid to trust the feeling. But I found I liked basking in comfort much more than being crushed by pain. So I didn't fight it.

We went into the Leaky Cauldron without incident or insult. Longbottom had not lost his skills at crowd control. There were still those who didn't want me there. I ignored the silent glares, or gave one back as I saw fit. It was freeing knowing that I had nothing to fear from them. So when my companion's hand settled on my thigh as we sat down, I was able to concentrate on the discussion Richards started about werewolf hierarchies. The squeeze to my thigh kept me from panic as I realized what the ordeal with the Death Eater sympathizers had done to Laura.

"Didn't you read those books in your office at Hogwarts?" My companion asked gently. "They had plenty on pack dynamics. They were useful to us, if not entirely flattering."

"What? Oh. I had obtained those to gain knowledge on Greyback, not you. So I only read the less flattering sections." At that moment, I regretted that I hadn't read more. I needed to know about the man by my side before I risked myself for what he seemed to be offering: companionship and the return of feelings that I had buried so long ago. But I also needed to face the price. I knew he wanted use of my body. I could see it in the way his eyes examined me when he thought I wasn't looking.

The idea wasn't painful. It was just confusing. He had known beauty. Nymphadora had been such. There was also beauty under the scars of many of his people. So why did he want me?

Before I could puzzle out an answer, my attention was pulled back to our discussion of the pack I had inadvertently created. A pack that he believed took precedence over his own, at least for Laura.

"If you find my company aversive in the future, Severus, I will release her from the pack. I will assign someone to you, to help you convert to a pack of two. Three." He smiled at Frederick.

"You said you would not make her choose. Making the choice for her is no better." I crossed my arms, but I did not move my leg away from his palm. I found that I didn't want to, even though his words annoyed me.

Laura glared at both of us. "I choose to help you two idiots grow that relationship that you keep talking about. If you are so stubborn that you do not make a good attempt at it, I'll go to America with Ricky, so I don't have to deal with either of you."

A chuckle from him sent a small shiver down my spine. "Understood, Ms. Sinas-Snape."

Laura's beaming smile convinced me that I should do as she asked. So I echoed him. "Understood, Precious."

For the rest of dinner, I was content to listen to the inanities of their lives. Because those small things became important when they belonged to those who you hold dear.

====

A tumbler of Scotch rested on the table in front of both of us in the house in Hogsmeade that night as I rediscovered the uncomfortable part of relationships. The questions that I would rather avoid.

"What has your children so upset about those readings you need to take?" he asked quietly as we sat on the sofa, with minimal distance between us, at least physically.

I raised an eyebrow, but he just shook his head. "They both are yours. None of mine will mind. Richard's move up north made clear that dual loyalties are possible, as long as the situation is stable. But I need to know what's bothering Laura and Ricky. If it worries them, it worries me, especially if it concerns you."

I sighed. "Laura is upset because of what I did to keep the captors away from her. She fears that the task will remind me of that."

"Waving a wand over me, while you say a few spells? That doesn't seem threatening." He sat back as he examined my face.

I knew he could see the redness that suffused it. "While you are naked. As I take readings from your mouth, your heart, your hands, your feet and your genitals. All locations of focused magic."

"Oh," he whispered. "She has good reason to be worried then." He took a sip of his Scotch then played with the glass. "I can certainly promise not to touch you, if that will help. It will be uncomfortable for me as well, so I would want it done as quickly as possible. That's a bit too much exposure for me." 

I stared at him for a moment, wondering if my appearance was making him reconsider the thoughts I knew he had had in the restaurant. So I commented bluntly, "But earlier it seemed that you were considering using me for sex."

He choked on his next sip. Then he gasped out "No!" with such force that I prepared to leave the sofa before he attempted to push me away.

Instead, he grabbed my hand and would not let me retreat. "*IF* we ever get to that point, and it will be by mutual agreement, thank you, I will not use you. I had fun with Marlene and a few others in my younger years. I made love with my wife. Nobody has ever accused me of using them in that way."

He took a deep breath. "Can I assume your experience with sex is limited to what you told me?"

I nodded.

"Then let me phrase this in a way that is easy for you to understand. If you do not enjoy what we are doing, neither will I. So there's no point to doing anything about the physical attraction, yet. I will admit the thought crossed my mind today. But it can wait, or I can do without. It's not a requirement for this relationship."

"But Lupin..."

He put up a finger as he gave me an annoyed look. "And I'm certainly not going to have sex with you until you can use my given name. When you stop needing distance from me, we will revisit this, but only if you wish to."

"Remus." I tried it on my tongue, for the second time in as many days. "Would you do it to satisfy my curiosity? I have never had the chance to engage in sex for enjoyment."

He took another deep breath and seemed to calm before he replied, "Yes, but not tonight."

I nodded my agreement. "Laura has reason for her concern. I need to know if I can handle such closeness without causing myself alarm. The procedure for your magical readings should help in that regard."

"You're adjusting to quite a bit at the moment, Severus. Wait a week before you jump in. I don't think you've adjusted to having friendly acquaintances yet, let only close friends or lovers."

I frowned, somehow disappointed, even though I had just agreed with his assessment.

Remus chuckled. "I never thought I'd see the day when you reminded me of Sirius."

I glared at him, momentarily offended. But the heartiness of the resulting laughter calmed me.

His smirk was actually welcome when he suggested, "Finish your drink. We both need some time to relax before we get some sleep."

My hand twitched. A moment later, it was engulfed in his warm one. "Yes, I will stay with you if you wish it."

"Thank you, Remus." I said softly.

His smile gave my struggles reason to exist.

====

A week passed, and damn him again, Remus was right. We needed the time to adjust to each other. I had not thought it would take so much energy to accept his presence.

It would have been more understandable if he did not leave me alone. He knew me well enough to give me space. But he also seemed to know when to stay nearby. There were times I was tempted to demand to know when he became a Legilimens. But by the time we reached the task that worried us both, I realized that he was simply good at observation. 

I was still afraid to sleep alone. My fears of death were still too close in my mind. So he was in my bed every night. In darkness, I could reach my hand to his. He never refused my touch, but he kept enough space between us that my two 'children' could have laid within it comfortably.

He was often awake in the morning before I was, as we both knew trouble in Hogwarts most often occurred in the idle times. He was careful enough that I only woke for the moment his hand left mine. And his consideration extended to leaving me a cup of tea and a portion of whatever breakfast Dorian Trane had left him.

Now that I was securely under the pack's guardianship, he did not come to the shop for more than a few moments a day during the week. I attributed his visits to checking on his son, until said young man began wandering to the supply room when his father approached the shop.

Neither of us said much in those moments, but the fact that I stood near him without agitation seemed to make him smile. So I found myself looking forward to the next visit. Or the evenings, when he would be with me longer.

The Hogwarts house elves were most likely disappointed they could not ply him with sweets during dinners, as he spent each but one that week with me, when he asked me to consider visiting Draco Malfoy while he took care of school paperwork.  After a rather elaborate dinner at the house, Remus confessed to be tasked by Mr. Trane and Mrs. Longbottom to discover more of my preferences. But he seemed content to help me prepare a simple meal when I found their experiments too unfamiliar.

In our time together, Remus would talk quietly about events at the school or within the pack. At first, I simply listened quietly. But after a day or two, I offered comments on his son's progress or young Jamison's enthusiasm in return. 

Remus insisted I join him at the weekend dinner on Saturday. I was greeted with quiet respect by many there. And though I was not often pulled into conversations, many of the pack smiled at me in a way that perplexed me. Only Laura and Frederick's overtures made sense. But I did not feel threatened by Remus's pack, as I had had by so many others.

I found myself astonished that how normal it all felt, as if I was supposed to have such relations with Remus and his people, no matter how confusing I found them. I found myself more concerned with them, and with his well-being.

I worried that none of it would help me in the task that I needed to perform for him.

====

The night that we agreed would be the first for the potion's vitals readings was quiet. We ate in practical silence. The tension between us was uncomfortable, but oddly not offensive.

Remus guided me into his bedroom after dinner, saying that he didn't want to make me do this in my room in case it disturbed me. As he went into his bath to undress, I gazed around at the warm honey colored wood of his furniture and the reminders of his son and his past. For once, those faces, even Black's, seemed benign to me.

The room's owner returned wrapped in a towel, his pack necklace, and a light blush. As he sat on the bed, I reached for the necklace. "You can't wear anything. Even these small things will interfere with the measurements."

Instead of taking the bauble off himself, he leaned towards me. So I willed my hands to not tremble as I removed it. I could not help but touch the skin beneath it. I shivered to feel his warmth, and magic, even in so innocuous a place. He, in turn, seemed to be affected by my response. His hand reached towards mine, but then stopped. "I-I will not touch you unless you ask," he whispered.

"Then I should not touch you either." I moved my hands away from him and grabbed my wand.

"You may, if you wish." He unwrapped the towel after those words. "I won't ask you to, however. I don't want to pressure you."

We seemed to be at an impasse, so I suggested, "Lie back and close your eyes."

His trust in me allowed him to relax as he did as I bade. I resolved to not touch him, as that seemed unfair under the circumstances.

But he gasped as I waved my wand over his mouth, his hands, then his heart. As I watched, his skin turned pink as my wand waved past it. My resolve crumbled. For I could see that my *magic* aroused him. The force from my inner being had his body calling to mine. I had seen others whose magic bonded them. But I never expected to see the siren call for myself.

Remus held very still as I waved my wand over his hips. But I was amazed to see him fully erect. Given his werewolf status, it was quite an intimidating sight. But curiosity got the better of me. I touched it lightly, just to feel if it was as firm as it appeared to be. It was.

Remus took a shuddering breath, but said nothing. When I looked towards his face, he was watching me. He smiled, but I could see that his hands were trembling slightly. So I returned to my task. Even though I had had little chance to learn the rules of mutually pleasing sex, I had enough knowledge to understand it was best to not arouse someone too much without doing anything to relieve that arousal.

But as I waved my wand over his feet, then covered his hips with his towel to signify my completion, he seemed content. As if he were the one discovering me in the moments before.

Perhaps he was. For when we went to bed that night, he eschewed his pyjama top. And the space between us could not even fit his son's lanky frame.


	17. Remus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, I dedicate to my commenters. Your words help me generate the next part, or the part after that...;)

As I stared Maya Nassar-Lupin-Levi down in the middle of the community house gathering room, tears came to my eyes. I never thought I'd be doing this. I never thought this would be possible.

"Father, do you need me to talk to him?" She asked softly as she approached me and pulled me into a hug.

"Please," I whispered into her shoulder. "I don't want to hurt him."

She knew exactly what I was talking about. She, the strongest of my children. Not because of her magic. Most of that was contained within the wolf. Not because of her intelligence. She had plenty and used it in droves. But it was her sheer will that made me scared for her and had me staring at her in awe in equal turns.

She said it was all my doing. That was why she used my name as primary, even though her biological father had been part of the pack since Kingsley had found him and her mother. Her Papa knew that in the eight months I had sheltered her before they arrived, I had changed her somehow. Jaro had run to them, ecstatic at seeing them. But Maya, her eleven year old frame shaking, had clutched my hand until I told her, "They are safe. I trust them." Then she had walked over to receive the hugs that she should have never had to do without.

The hugs she constantly came to me for, even now. Because I was the one who had known how to hug her when she had been most afraid of them.

It shouldn't have been that way. If only I could have killed Falcher twice, once just for her.

Maya had been the reason Daryl had faked the younger children's deaths. Daryl had found Falcher on top of her one night after the older boys had come back from thieving in town. Yvette, the seven year old French werewolf, had been screaming out front from the moment she saw the boys. So they had rushed into the cabin to take her away from their Alpha. Though Maya swore that Falcher had not hurt her, she had been naked under him, and trying to push him away. And she had been afraid to go near any of the older boys afterwards.

So Dorian and Daryl took drastic actions to keep Maya and the littler ones safe. Daryl had somehow learned a few illusion spells that gave a person the appearance of death. Dorian contacted his grandmother (who had actually thought he had died until he had shown up on her doorstep) and pleaded with her to take the children. They both risked their own lives to get the little ones out of Falcher's grip. The moment I heard of it, I knew their strength had rivaled Harry's. 

But Maya's strength rivaled Hermione's, when the latter had cast the obliviate spell to save her parents.

Falcher had mentally wounded Maya, even though Daryl had found them before she was physically hurt. I learned about it the first night we had all spent together in the cottage. She woke, screaming, around two am. The other children told me that it was normal. That Maya insisted she was fine.

That much pain was not 'fine.'

So I coaxed her into the living room, already knowing that I couldn't touch her. I showed her the sofa and my mother's knitted blankets. Then I sat on the floor on the other side of the room, by the door. I told her that I was going to stay there all night to keep dangerous people from entering. I would watch her, but I wouldn't move from that spot until morning unless I had to defend her.

Neither of us got any more sleep that night. But I had started a ritual of trust. Every time she woke from a nightmare, I guarded the door, and her. Sometimes with Teddy cradled in my arms. Sometimes with Jaro, Ned, or Daryl sleeping against my shoulder.

Slowly, over the weeks, I found her climbing off the sofa and sleeping on the floor closer to me. Until the morning I woke to find that she was the one sleeping against my shoulder. I sobbed that morning in the same way Severus had when he found his 'deceased' child standing in front of him. Daryl came into the room a moment later to call us to breakfast. When he saw her clutching me, he smiled and with a wisdom born of the hardship they had endured said, "With you, Alpha is another word for Father. I'll find a way to get used to your tears if you keep doing things like that." He waved his hand to indicate Maya's position against me.

Her acceptance of me in the face of her fear was the final crack in the resistance against becoming a family. They all took my name after that, in one way or another. And Maya learned to counsel our rescued people on the more difficult aspects of what many of them endured.

Severus had endured as well, whether he realized it or not. So I had called on her once Severus started to become frustrated with me because I didn't just take what I wanted. It wasn't what he wanted. But I knew that's what he *expected*. He didn't realize that for the next three nights of his measurements, I would do nothing but let him poke and prod me, allowing him to finally explore someone's body just because he wanted to. Or that during our time in his bed, I would only encourage him to find comfort in my presence, and leave it to him to tell me how much of it he wanted.

I had stumbled through explaining that before Maya sighed and came over to comfort me.

"He's not going to want to talk about it," I whispered as she smiled up at me. "I don't think he sees how much he has been used."

"I'll bring Laura and Ricky with me, and prepare to wait him out. You know I can."

I nodded. "You might want to have Dorian make you all a basket. Severus had the patience to wait out a Dark Lord."

Maya scoffed softly. "That's nothing compared to waiting out an overprotective Father who just realized someone wanted to marry his daughter, plus nine brothers who learned at his knee. Now I have to deal with the fact that they just keep spreading what they learned to everyone else. In fact, I should warn Laura that Severus will be overprotective of her. Or should I warn Ricky that Severus will be overprotective of him?"

"Maybe you should warn Severus that *they* are already overprotective of *him*," I suggested with a wry smile.

Maya's laughter echoed through the gathering room, brightening the countenances of everyone in it.

====

I knew Maya had accomplished her task when Severus came storming out of the fireplace and into the living room of what was slowly becoming our home. "I don't know who is worse, your children or my children," he grumbled.

I smiled as I looked up from the book I was reading. "Did Daryl join you?"

Severus shook his head. "I was bowled over by your Egyptian daughter, her husband, and my two charges."

"Then you got off easy. The combined force of Daryl and Maya is enough to make Harry run the other way." I stood up to head to the kitchen, careful to keep my distance in case the conversation had unsettled Severus. 

Severus almost immediately leaned over to grab my hand. "Although I understand that conversation was necessary, it would have been easier in your presence."

I shrugged as I squeezed his hand gently. "It's hard to tell when you need my company, or when it's best to give you space."

Severus just held up our entwined hands until I said softly, "So noted. I'll make sure I'm there if that conversation needs to be repeated or continued."

The potions master nodded as we went about making dinner together, something that was quickly becoming a comfortable habit. Despite Severus's earlier conversation, or maybe because of it, our discussion revolved around his upcoming meeting with Minerva McGonagall, to help assess the students who were being disciplined for cheating.

"I won't let her force me to come back and teach," he muttered as we sat down to eat.

"She won't," I insisted. "We all know you don't like teaching groups of students. You seem much more comfortable taking on one or two at a time, and only because you need the help. Your passion is in creating potions. That's a passion we want to encourage, because it will benefit everyone."

"I don't mind working with people who actually want to learn the subject," he admitted. "Jamison seems to have an aptitude for it, at least so far. And Edward has been regaling me with stories of how he plans to use my potions to help his patients."

"Only if Laura doesn't do it first." I chuckled.

Severus rolled his eyes at the competition we had inadvertently created, then our conversation returned to the less willing recipients of his knowledge, and how to encourage them to use it correctly.

====

Severus looked nervous after I came out of my bath and laid down on my bed that night to let him assess my vitals.

"What's wrong?" I asked before I unwrapped the towel from my waist. I thought it best to deal with his thoughts before exposing him to my body, which still made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"I don't know my preferences for sex. How can I consent or refuse if I've never experienced it, or never had a choice?"

I sighed with relief. I had thought I did something wrong. His statement, however, came from curiosity. From the way he examined my face, I knew he was imagining possibilities he hadn't considered before. So I reassured him that my care would not end the moment he became willing to try what he was imagining. "You can consent to try something, then give me your opinion of it afterwards. And anything you refuse before trying, I will consider off limits."

"That puts you at a distinct disadvantage," he said as he removed my towel and pack chain carefully. "You have no way of knowing if we are compatible sexually until I say I like what you do, or not."

"It's not an uncommon issue," I said as I settled back and watched him murmur the first spell over my hands. "Sex has so many variations that it's rare to find someone who has tried them all. So many partners have that type of discussion."

"Still, you will have invested a lot of time for nothing if I find my tastes different than yours." He waved his wand over my mouth with such an intent stare into my eyes that I shivered. Somehow, I doubted that his worry would come to fruition.

But that didn't mean I shouldn't address it. So as his wand moved down to my heart, I replied, "There are many ways to express love. Sex is just one of them. I can also express it by finding you someone more compatible with your preferences, if needed."

His wand suddenly stopped moving. His dark eyes met mine as his gasp reached my ears.

I could see the want and the fear in those eyes. So, in a tone that gently imitated his own sharp one, I retorted, "What did you think this relationship was about, you fool?"

====

Severus was quiet as he finished his measurements, then as we spent some time in the living room taking care of individual pursuits. In fact, he still hadn't said anything when he got up and headed to his bedroom. 

Worriedly, I went about putting out candles and turned off Daryl's spelled electric lights. After putting on a pair of pyjama bottoms, I went to Severus's doorway, afraid to go inside, in case my offhand declaration had scared him.

I could see Severus watching me in the light of the waxing moon. The worry I felt was reflected in his eyes. But he must have found the courage that I couldn't. Because a moment later, he told me, "I've never been kissed."

"Never?" I whispered as my feet finally found their way to the bed. "Not even by Lily?"

He shook his head. "By the time I was ready to ask her, she had found other boys to satisfy her curiosity."

"Then I should satisfy your curiosity, of course." I slowly slid into bed next to Severus and moved close to him. But I did not touch him until he nodded.

When I received permission, I started by paying homage to a part of him that others had disparaged. I kissed his nose gently, then traced its length. "Shh," I whispered as he made a choked sound. "This part of you has served you well. It can detect potions ingredients that don't belong. It has given you pleasure. I saw you sniffing Dorian's curry before you tried it on Saturday."

"I wanted to ensure he hadn't been led on by people who use substandard ingredients." He wrinkled the nose I so admired, making me smile.

"I'm sure he appreciated your concern. And the fact that you ate two bowls of it," I murmured as I let my own nose gently breeze over his. Before he could say more, most likely to deny the pleasure I so enjoyed watching that day, I tilted my head and let my lips capture his softly.

The moment our lips met, I was grateful for the softening of passion that came with age. For as I sought our pleasure, I could help him wrap his arms around me before he hit something with them and hurt his hands. I could wipe away his tears as he finally found one of the comforts he had missed out on.

And when he became too overwhelmed by the emotions coursing through him, I could give into my own need and wrap him in my arms to reassure him that this was just the beginning.


	18. Daryl

I curled into a corner of the yard as the full moon light hit me, trying not to whimper audibly. I knew that I was destined to be exiled. So I didn't deserve the strength within tears. And I certainly wasn't going to embarrass my pack by making them acknowledge me, not after I destroyed everything we had worked so hard for.

Only now, when I least was entitled to their healing properties, did I realize that sometimes tears were what made Remus strong. I had always seen tears as weakness because they forced you to acknowledge the pain that came with them. But as I curled into a tighter ball, I realized that acknowledging pain helped you share it, examine it, and find a way to move on with it or despite it.

All things I was now not entitled to. 

The best I could do in my pain was whimper and hope that Remus could shed his tears. I wanted them to heal the wounds in him that I inflicted.

====

It started a month before, as we all shared a giddy feeling while watching two men fall in love.

As I watched Alpha and the Prince learn about each other, in ways they never expected to, I was reminded of when I taught Allie how to dance. There were missteps, confusion at times, and a few rants (Snape was Snape, after all; and Allie had never been intimidated by anyone). But most days, we sighed as they danced around each other, trying to fit their steps to their partner, even when it was hard to tell which direction they should flow in next.

But like Allie and I did as I stumbled on the dance floor to find her the cues that would replace the sight of me, the two men found a rhythm.

Remus gave Snape the rhythm of home. A safe place, good sleep, people to talk to, help for the asking. All things that up to that point, Snape wasn't even aware he should have. But when he began to use what was offered, even those idiots in Diagon Alley started to notice his attractiveness.

Snape's rhythm coalesced into wellness and security. Two weeks after Laura's first visit to him, the potions master handed me a sack of bottles. "Get rid of that other pain potion," he said as he turned his head away from me slightly. "He shouldn't have any problem with these. But if he does, let me know immediately."

Of course, I wondered what he was trying to hide. I tried to figure it out as I watched him. But then I found myself trying to hide a smirk as I saw the love mark he had apparently forgotten to cast an obscuring spell on. I was glad to see that Alpha's wolf approved of Snape as well.

The Wolfsbane followed the pain potion, with a few bottles especially for certain people as Snape tried to make it better suited for their needs. Nobody was surprised when Alpha's bottles were marked with his name.

I was shocked, however, when Snape joined the guardians outside our wards during the full moon. Though he had joined us in the enclosure the month before, I was surprised that he had gotten over his fear of the wolves enough to be near us without Alpha near him. But I was glad to hear his rather foul words as Neville beat him at chess three times that night.

====

The pain began with a rescue a day after the full moon. It was all based on an emergency. Ron Weasley had found a five year old child screaming outside a small house on the outskirts of London on his normal Auror patrol. When the Auror calmed the child enough to question him, the boy told Weasley that his mother was a werewolf. She took the 'nice potion' and usually spent the moon sleeping with him in the living room. But some bad men broke in and took his mother right after she transformed. He had hid under the sofa and had started calling for help the minute the bad men had left.

After scouring the area with a few of Ron's coworkers, Ned and I found a female werewolf tied up in the corner of a warehouse not far from where the child was found. She was one of Greyback's last children, she said. She had become a target for those who had lost people to him. She had been attacked before. But this was the first time anyone had done so with her child present. She now realized that her child was in jeopardy. Could we please help her?

Ned was smitten from the moment Cara blinked her baby blue eyes. She was gorgeous and held herself with a confidence that let her take over a room the minute she walked into it. 

I must have been pulled in, just like Ned was. Because I found myself doing her favors, watching the boy, Tommy, for her, and talking to her in the community house yard for hours as she watched me repair some fencing. Of course, I was doing this on a day I had promised to spend with Trey and Allie, at one of Ginny Potter's Quidditch games.

That night, I found that Allie had locked our bedroom door, forcing me to sleep in the living room. But I convinced myself I was doing nothing wrong. I had only been talking to Cara! My anger at my wife had me sleeping in the community house dormitory the next few nights. And ignoring the boy that a few days earlier I had started calling 'son.'

Before I knew it, I was also arguing with Ned, often about who would take care of Cara's boy that evening. Then I was arguing with Maya, as she kept asking me why I was throwing my life away.

But I had done nothing wrong! I wasn't sleeping with the woman. We just spent a good portion of our days talking together.

But my work suffered. I let cases lapse. The pack suffered. I was there for Cara, but I had no patience for anyone else. And Allie and Trey suffered. Although I didn't know it at the time, Allie had begun thinking of divorcing me and taking Trey with her. 

But I thought everything was fine. I thought I had everything under control.

Until the day I didn't.

====

It was the first day of the Wolfsbane distribution, and Snape was right on time. Dorian had made an evening snack for him and Remus to share. Ted was seeing after the potions shop. Al was carrying a set of bottles, while the potions master carted the other set in a small wagon.

Remus was coming in from Hogwarts, since his last class of the day ended at seven. I knew he hadn't had a chance to see Snape that day. He and McGonagall had been meeting with the head of Durmstrang about a joint program they were developing.

Cara and I were sitting near the doorway to the hall that led to the dorms and the floo when Snape came in. On the opposite side of the gathering room, to keep Snape from becoming agitated (although there were still six days until he had to deal with the wolves). Cara had not seen much of the potions master up to that point. So I explained to her that Snape was Remus's focus of attention at the moment, but I wondered if it would last. Because Snape was a rather nervous man under his bluster. His history made him much too worried about how others saw his appearance.

That was when I lost control.

Remus walked in from the hall. Almost instantly, Cara ran up to Remus and kissed him, in full view of everyone. Including Snape.

I could see that Remus was stunned. I could also hear Snape's shocked gasp across the room. But before either of them could react further, Cara said loudly, "Don't you think I look beautiful in the dress you bought me, Remus?"

A second later, I heard a loud crack as Snape apparated out of the building.

It was only then that both Remus and I were able to do something. 

I reached for Cara, to try to rebuke her. To try to explain to Remus. But Remus only had eyes for the empty spot across the room.

Cara, not liking the lack of attention, hissed angrily, "What do you want with that old codger? I could make you feel twenty years younger. All he's going to do is make you look pathetic."

Remus's face turned red at that point. Giving us both a fierce look, he yelled, "Get away from me!"

Then he walked back into the hall and disappeared.

I fell to my knees at that point. I knew what just happened. Cara had challenged *Snape* for his position in the pack. Not understanding it was well within his right to fight back, he ran.

Remus, of course, had the right to refuse anyone's challenge to a position. By walking away from Cara's challenge, he made it moot. She was not part of the pack. She could not have the position.

But in that same breath, he also negated mine.

====

Dorian had never wanted to be Beta. He was happy being the one who brought everyone together over the dinner tables. But I knew he could handle it. That day, he did so with flying colors.

Although I could not raise my head to watch (nor would I force the pack to face a rejected wolf), I could hear Dorian immediately scramble to make sure that Remus received his Wolfsbane, that Laura and Ricky found where Snape had gone, and if he was safe. To see that Cara was forcibly removed from Remus's property.

Dorian ignored me, however. In fact, he literally stepped around me as he went about his tasks. I didn't know why he didn't have me removed as well. But I knew that I was no longer welcome. So as soon as everyone left the gathering room, I stood and ran to my car three blocks away.

I berated myself as I struggled to open the car door. I had torn apart my life without realizing it. So I couldn't go home. Instead, I went to the only place I was welcome, grudgingly at the moment: the law firm I worked for. I knew there was a room in the basement with a few cots. There, I could catch up on the work I had neglected, and not worry about shaming the pack with my presence. My punishment would be not having the right to mourn the family I had lost by my own hand.

The family had other plans. I found out that night that someone knew where I was. As I opened the driver's side door of my car to scrounge up a toothbrush (I was sure Allie had hidden one in a seat pocket at one point), I found a bottle of Wolfsbane wedged against the parking brake.

As I picked up the bottle to stare at its contents, I remembered a lecture Grady had given us on the potion. He had said that it wasn't that hard to poison the potion. There were a number of things that could be added, some of them undetectable. At the time, he had been warning us to identify the source of the Wolfsbane we were drinking, so we weren't harmed.

I looked at the bottle cap. It bore the logo of Snape's potion shop. So I knew who made it. But I had no idea who had stuck it in my car. But I just shrugged. I had ruined my life. Being poisoned might be too good for me, but that wasn't going to drive me to prevent it.

So I drank the bottle and went back into the office with the toothbrush I found. 

Five more days went like that. I buried myself in work, then I went out to my car around eight pm. It it would invariably contain another bottle of Wolfsbane. 

On the sixth day when I went out to the car, an hour before moonrise, I found Maya leaning against my driver's side door.

She didn't move to let me into my car. She just pointed at her pickup truck and said, "Get in before I break your wand."

I eyed the hand she had placed on my car window next to my left arm. She knew I hid my wand in my left sleeve when it was cold enough to wear sweaters. And it was still a rather chilly night, even though it was April.

I knew she didn't have enough magic in her even to do a simple breaking spell. Both she and Jaro had been muggles before Falcher had grabbed them. But I also knew the wolf gave her enough strength to be able to snap my femur without even breathing hard.

So I climbed into her truck. After she settled in the driver's seat, she handed me the last dose of the potion and the spare car key I kept in my office for emergencies. The worry in her eyes shocked me. But neither of us knew what to say at that point, so I just swallowed the contents of the bottle.

We were quiet as she drove to the small lot Michael rented to give those with vehicles a safe place to put them near the community house. She then proceeded to prod me out of the truck and straight into the warded yard.

Pulling me through the entrance, she then backed me into the west corner, which was in sight of the entrance but far enough away that the pack would not have to come near me.

"Clothes," she snapped, holding out her hands.

I undressed quickly and handed her my clothes. Then I sat on the ground facing the ward wall to await moonrise.

I could hear the pack enter the yard at my back a few minutes later. Unlike most moon nights, there was no laughter, no jokes. Everyone was quiet.

It hurt to know that I had caused this. I was the one who let a stranger seduce me, the one who had let someone fracture my Alpha's, and therefore my pack's, happiness.

I had had everything I could have ever wanted as the strong and proud Beta of this pack. So why did I let someone destroy that?

Right before the transformation took hold, my mind grasped onto a sentence from a muggle novel I had read recently: I had forgotten the face of my father.

That sentence had been central to some of the beliefs the main character had had.

And in that moment when my bones began breaking, I found it central to mine.

When Cara took over my life, I somehow forgot the smiles, the tears, and the small nods on the face of my father that told us we were loved.

And when I forgot my father's love, I let the void destroy me.

So I, the only one of the eleven of us to have never been held in my father's arms (for I had to be strong for him), whimpered against the warded wall with my eyes closed. And hoped that I'd be allowed to beg my father for forgiveness when the sun rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The literary reference is real (and extremely easy to Google ;)). I reinterpreted it slightly for my purposes.


	19. Severus

I stared betrayal in the face across that crowded room. So like my Lily, I thought. But in the wrong way. Watching that woman hang on Remus, I felt like I had been hit in the gut by a hex. So I breathed for a second before I grabbed my wand and left, to avoid further humiliation.

Without consciously thinking of a destination (a sure way to get splinched, but I was beyond caring), I apparated. Surprisingly, I found myself at Malfoy Manor instead of Spinner's End.

The Lord of the Manor immediately called for a house elf when he saw my face. Then he pulled me into his sitting room and sat in a chair in front of me. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"I trusted the wrong person," I muttered as I let my face fall into my hands.

Draco knew me well enough to not ask for more explanation yet. I was not ready to do more than confess my mistake at that point. Reliving the pain would not help me move on. So he simply asked, "Should I have Gebby prepare a room for you after she brings tea?"

I nodded into my hands and took a deep breath. A few moments later, we silently went through the motions of preparing tea.

The house elf went upstairs to air out a guest room, but came back a moment later to tell us that there was a woman at the gate demanding to see her father.

Draco looked puzzled by this. But I just sighed. I knew who was out there. The only person who would dare to chase after me. "That is most likely Laura Sinas. She looks to me as an Alpha."

The blond man's eyes went wide as I told him an abbreviated version of the events that had led to my gaining the title. Although I knew he was most likely shocked and appalled at my weak attempts at protecting her, all he did was ask, "Do you trust her?"

I nodded. So Draco guided me to the front door and opened it.

Laura nearly fell into my arms the moment she saw me. Frederick, who was by her side, caught her. But it was perfunctory, as he seemed distracted.

"Severus! Thank Merlin!" Laura tried a second time to launch herself at me. This time, she succeeded.

I buried my face in my werewolf daughter's neck as I held her close. "I'm fine, Precious," I whispered.

"You are not fine! Nothing is fine!" Laura groused as Draco ushered us into the sitting room once again. "You are hurt. Remus looks like chocolate has been banned. Dorian is beside himself trying to hold the pack together and Daryl has completely lost any common sense he ever had!"

I sighed as I held her hands in mine. She seemed to need some grounding, as she seemed to be reverberating with anger. "It is not my problem. Lupin has shown me what he really thinks of me. I am not attractive enough to be worthy of attention."

Laura huffed, then shook her head. "Something isn't right." But then her eyes met mine as she calmed a little. "Do you want us to stay?" she asked as she examined my face.

I shook my head. "You may get no rest if you do, Precious. You know how I react to such events. You should go home. Both of you have work to do in the morning."

"So do you." Frederick sighed. "What are you going to do about the shop?"

I stood up and paced as I thought. But there was only one answer to his question. "I am being paid to produce Wolfsbane and my apprentices have not done anything against me as of yet. I will continue on."

"Then we'll stop by tomorrow to take the potion over for you. So you don't have to worry about facing that woman." Frederick stared at Laura as he said this. I found his expression odd, but I brushed it off as worry for the group they had fled.

Laura admonished me to not strain my wrist again after twisting it so abruptly to apparate. Then they were gone.

====

When my apprentices came into the shop the next morning, they were as efficient as they were normally. But I found them whispering to each other much more often than usual as they went about their tasks.

I gave them room to do so, as it didn't interfere with their work. For the most part, I ignored it. But even I could not miss when Edward exclaimed, "I want to know what that woman did to my big brother. He never runs! He never lets himself look weak in any way. Maya thinks he's afraid that if he's weak, Dad won't have anyone to lean on. So why is he suddenly gone?!"

At that point, I found myself closer to the young men.

"Does anyone know where Daryl is?" Jamison asked worriedly.

Edward shrugged. "I think so, but nobody's said anything. It's just a feeling I got when Maya drove me back to the flat."

They then whispered a few things I could not hear. Shaking my head at myself, I moved away before I became too interested. The Constellation pack was no longer my concern.

But I could not avoid my children when they came back with the empty Wolfsbane bottles that evening.

"I'm telling you Laura, the percussion in the building is all wrong!" Frederick was saying as they came into the shop. "It doesn't feel right."

"The community house isn't a drum, Ricky. Neither was that little boy. I don't know how his 'beat' could be wrong." Laura sounded annoyed as they put the bottles on my preparation table.

"I don't know how else to explain it. You said there was something wrong with the pack. I'm trying to tell you what's wrong with them!" Frederick seemed so agitated that I feared he would lash out at Laura.

So I calmed Frederick with a hand on his shoulder. 

He turned to me with a sigh. "Severus, it was awful. The building doesn't feel like Remus anymore. It feels cold."

Laura shook her head, not understanding.

But something in me understood, some sense that I had needed in the past. Suddenly, their argument was giving me a sense of dread.

I was most likely imagining things. But I couldn't help but ask, "When did this start?"

Frederick leaned against the preparation table tiredly. "Around the time that woman came with her kid. I thought it was the weather at first. That week of rain made everything cold. But then Allie began to feel it too. The building started to feel cruel, she said. She didn't know why, though. She also told me that her boy Trey felt ...out of sync. Like he didn't belong somehow."

"Oh, stop the drum metaphors! This isn't some wild musical fantasy like that rock opera you like so much, Ricky." Laura began to become even more agitated than Frederick was moments ago. 

I stared at Laura. Her temper seemed too close to the surface at the moment. Although she could be as fierce as I, her control was usually much more apparently. I reached out to touch her...

And nearly fell over.

My first thought was that Voldemort had returned. That he had somehow taken over my precious one. Her magic felt out of synchronicity with the world, as Frederick had said of the building.

I looked to him for an explanation. But he had none. Instead, he reached to Laura and then pulled his hand back quickly.

Edward, who had been in the supply room, came out and looked at us inquiringly. "Is everything ok?"

Of course it wasn't. But my only clue to what was going on was Frederick's statement about the community house, so I barked at my apprentice, "Where is your father staying?"

"Hogwarts," he replied, equally as sharp.

The protective streak I did my best to hide most days forced me to speak. "Find an excuse to keep him out of the meeting hall. There is something wrong with it."

Laura looked like she was going to yell at me for ordering Edward around, or for believing Frederick. So fighting the instinct that told me to avoid the wrongness I was feeling from her, I wrapped my arms around her.

Edward watched, first skeptically, then with eyes widened, as Laura fought me, then suddenly seemed to collapse. The 'wrongness' bled out of her as I gathered her to my chest.

"What in the world?" Edward looked astonished.

I knew it wasn't the truth. But it was the only experience I had had like this. So I said the dreaded word. "Horcruxes, it's like horcruxes."

Edward nearly fell into the preparation table. "Voldemort is back?!"

I shook my head. "It's not strong enough to be Riddle's doing."

Frederick looked at me with confusion in his eyes. He knew that Voldemort was dead, he had been used to try to bring that evil back. But it had failed. I could see his fear grow as he realized that Voldemort wasn't the only magical evil in the world he had joined. "What is going on?!"

Before I could answer him, Laura started to stir. I held her closer to me. "Stay here, Precious. I don't want to let you go until it's gone."

"Until what's gone?" She asked, much calmer than she had been moments before. Her fiance touched her arm. Frederick's eyes went wide. He suddenly realized how correct he had been. 

"The bad percussion is gone," Frederick whispered as he laid a hand on her back. He breathed with her for a few moments. Then he met my eyes.

Laura looked up at me. "It's real?"

I nodded. "It disturbed your magic. It is most likely disturbing the community house as well."

Edward groaned softly. "My family is in that house...I knew that bitch did something bad."

I looked over at him. "Perhaps it explains why Richards is missing."

Edward shuddered and nodded. "She did something to him! And now it's bled into the whole house."

I remembered that Draco had told me that Malfoy Manor had felt 'infected' by Voldemort's presence, even months after the war. It was only when he had married, and the couple had started to create new ways of thinking that the place seemed to lose its malice.

The kindness and fairness of the Constellation pack was slowly becoming legendary. If intent was the only requirement to rid the place of the wrong 'percussion', it would have never even taken hold of the place. And because Remus was master of that house, any spell he cast there could potentially displace a disruptive one.There had to be something keeping the place infected with magic that disturbed people.

I stared at Edward, knowing that in a situation such as this, I should have been asking his father for help. I didn't know if what was occurring was truly dark magic, but it was dark enough in intent that Remus would most likely know something about it.

But I feared that he was infected, along with all of his canine children. In fact, Edward probably was as well. So I took a chance and trusted my instincts. I attempted to harmonize the young man's magic. I grabbed for Edward's arm and treated my touch as if I were creating a Patronus, but for him. I thought of watching Edward and his father laughing in the house in Hogsmeade as they discussed George Weasley's more garish suggestions for the wedding.

The young man shuddered and nearly fell to his knees as the formless 'spell' moved from my hand into him.

"By Helga's hand!" the younger Lupin muttered. "That's why I was yelling at Victoire this morning? It was odd, like I didn't have control over what I was saying. But I did."

"Most likely. But this means we may have to help your pack. If neither you nor Laura realized you were being influenced, others will not either. Can you create a Patronus?" I snapped at him as I helped him up.

Edward just rolled his eyes at me. We both knew the Patronus spell was his father's strongest form of magic, one he would have passed onto his child quickly, especially since Edward was not as good at other forms of defense. The father would have found it imperative, as the Patronus could be used to call for help.

"Grab Albert and act if you were conjuring a Patronus for him," I ordered.

"It would help to have a term to focus on. You and Dad may be able to do formless magic, but some of us aren't just a half step behind Harry Potter." Edward glared at me. But this time, I felt urgency in his gaze instead of disharmony. He was right, if this technique was the way to help the pack fix their meeting hall, I needed to give it enough form that others could use it.

Given who it was supposed to save in the long run, I could think of only one term for it. "Expecto Familia."

Edward tried to hide a smile, but failed. A moment later, he ran to the supply room. After a crash of boxes and some quick shuffling, Jamison and Edward came into the main room of the shop. Edward's hair now matched Jamison's long blond locks. I realized this was the first form change I had seen from the metamorphagus in the last two weeks, when normally he was changing something small at least three times a day.

Jamison was shaking as Edward held him up. He hadn't spent that long at the community house within the last weeks, since working at the shop took much of his time. None of the people looking to me at the moment had been in the meeting hall much lately. And yet they had been affected enough to need a reversion of their 'percussion', their *resonance* to let their magic and their moods come forth properly.

Daryl Richards, who had spent most of his days at the community house, must have crumbled under the weight of the malice in the place.

Although my magic was strong, I knew I wasn't strong enough to cure the pack and the meeting hall myself. So I looked at the four young people in front of me. "Frederick, find Alicia Richards. Edward, bring me the Weasley family. All of them. We are meeting at Malfoy Manor. We need to save this family. And I believe the only way to do it is to get the help of the strongest magical family in existence."

Edward looked at me worriedly. "What about Dad?"

We decided to attempt to contact Remus in his chamber rooms. Edward would talk to him, while I held back to the shadows in my office. We had not parted on good terms, so it was best for me to stay out of sight.

But as Edward began his conversation, I realized that Remus had been affected. For he might have had reason to be cold to me. But to his children? Never.

My realization took hold when Edward started talking about how Frederick had found the feeling of the community house a bad percussion. Remus didn't believe it. When Edward's hair turned black, and his nose lengthened as he discussed my theory a bit more, Remus began to growl.

When Edward mentioned that he was worried about his brother Daryl, Remus told him to "Shut up, I don't want to talk about it."

At this point, I could see that the young man was holding back tears. I wanted to reach for him to calm him. But his father just seemed to get angrier. So I waved my wand at the floo to stop its magic and shoved Edward toward Laura, who held him tightly as his tears fell.

Once he was calm enough to listen, I said, "Let your father remain at the school. I do not want to risk the pack losing its Alpha. The spell worked for the three of you, and Frederick seems unaffected. But I am still floundering in the dark. I could make Remus worse, as we were at odds when I was near him last. I will talk to Minerva. Hogwarts' magic may be able to keep him safe until we can find a solution that I can trust."

I imagined that Edward was thinking of his eldest brother as he shuddered. But he nodded in agreement.

Jamison squeezed Edward's shoulder as he pulled away from Laura, then everyone scattered to do as I bid.

And I went to Malfoy Manor with Laura to tell its owner that chaos was about to enter his doors.


	20. Severus

Once I told Draco that I was trying to save a family from destruction, he was amicable to opening his doors to anyone I needed. He didn't want to lose these people anymore than I did. His son Scorpius often turned to his DADA professor to help his best friend and himself navigate a world where adult prejudices were confusing and sometimes frightening. Draco also relied on one of Remus's children for his gardening and Potter for support at times. He had much to lose if the pack could not be saved.

So we opened his dusty ballroom and transfigured enough chairs for two of Longbottom's student armies. 

Moments after the last chair was set on the floor, the floo in the ballroom came to life and red-headed people, with their spouses and children, started flowing through it.

I requested that the house elves direct them to seats. Then I heard a bell ringing. I turned towards the sound to see Laura reaching in her pocket for a muggle device. A moment later, she talked into it.

"The nearest parking space Ricky could find is half a mile away," she told me. "He can't guide Allie that far, especially when he doesn't know where he's going."

"The gardener can get them," Draco said. "He may be a werewolf, but otherwise, he's a muggle. He drives a truck that holds his equipment. I let the truck past the wards."

"Oh right! Jaro works here. Thank you." Laura ran her finger over her device, then talked into it again.

"Have the Egyptian bring his sister as well," I said as I watched her. Laura nodded and relayed the message to the device.

Once I was content that her fiance and Mrs. Richards would arrive safely, I turned to the Weasleys. As soon as I did, the whole family quieted their chatter.

"What is this about, Snape?" Arthur Weasley stood up and gave me a suspicious glare.

Although I needed the family's cooperation, my temper, ignited by my fear for the pack, wouldn't let me cower. "Something is trying to destroy the Constellation pack," I snapped as I glared back. "It's trying to crack its bonds from the inside. And given some of your progeny are part of the pack, it would be in your best interest to help me stop that from happening."

Just then, William Weasley came through the floo. And headed straight for me with an angry look on his face.

"Don't threaten my father, you bastard!"

The family looked confused. Although I was sharp with them, my tone was nothing that they haven't heard from me before. In contrast, William did not let his own anger flare easily. So his reaction was perplexing to them. His words sounded like his mother's did the the day I first joined the communal dinner. However, Molly's had been from a family spirit, a fear for her children and grandchild. This was anything but. I could feel the wrongness of the foreign magic I had felt in Laura rear up at me again.

Arthur backed away as his son came near him. I knew he could feel the malice within the younger man. But I also knew it didn't feel like an evil he recognized, and therefore it left him floundering. But having seen the effects of the malice in my own child and apprentices, I knew how to step in where the father did not. With a quick movement, I did my best to twist William's wand arm behind him before he hurt me or anyone else.

The remaining twin lurched towards me to protect his older brother, but Arthur held him back as he examined his first child's eyes. I suspected the man Arthur knew was there, but muted somehow.

So I appealed to the worry I saw. "Help me," I pleaded softly to the father.

"How?" the nonplussed patriarch asked.

"Let your magic remind him of his family." I held William as tightly as I could to prepare to focus Arthur's magic into his son. I felt the surge as he touched his son. I guided it, trying to use it to break the darkness I could feel.

But then half the family surged upon us. Hands touched William from all directions, to reinforce Arthur's thoughts. I closed my eyes and focused their magic against the malice as much as I could. It resisted breaking. William must have spent extensive time at the meeting hall or around other pack members. Most likely, the problem came from contact with his partner, Nathaniel Frowes.

But as I began to grow frustrated with my inability to counter the magic, I heard a female voice whisper the words I had given Edward Lupin. I staggered as a weight pushed against us.

His child's embrace was the straw that finally broke the malice. William collapsed, taking me with him.

"What in Godric's name?" the cursebreaker muttered as he tried to keep us both from falling, unsuccessfully.

Arthur Weasley hauled me to my feet as his wife, grandchild, and daughter in law surrounded William. After giving Laura a moment to see to my hands (I made her use a temporary spell, as I knew I'd need my hands to focus magic), Arthur gave me a wide-eyed look. "You made your point. How do we help?"

"After I check William's family, we will have to talk. I barely know what this is. I'm not sure if that malicious spell can surge in your son again. All I know is it is affecting people who have contact with the pack. Frederick believes whatever is creating it is concentrated in their building."

Suddenly, Edward was surrounded as he taught all of the Weasleys the spell I had given him, so they could check each other. I could see the twin, Percival and his wife, as well as Charles shudder as the spell entered them. I went around to each person affected, examining them with a critical eye, but encouraging them to stay near their siblings or spouses. That was enough to produce shocked looks in many of them. I had not often paid attention to their bonds of family or friendship when they were my students.

But they were vital now.

Then the youngest children of Molly Weasley, and their families, arrived. Molly herded Ronald and Granger-Weasley to one side while Arthur and I grabbed Potter and his wife. But before I could reach for Ginerva, their ten year old daughter, named after both of those I gave my affection to, pulled at my robe. "Just Dad, Mr. Severus."

Having heard that the child was as perceptive as her godfather's son, I nodded. I grabbed Potter's shoulder while Arthur wrapped an arm around him. Then we prepared for a fight. For I had a feeling the strength of his magic would make the situation worse.

I was surprised when I found the malice already locked in a barrier. Luckily, I had taught Voldemort's bitterest child enemy enough Occulmancy skills that he realized something was wrong within his own mind, even though he didn't know how to fight it. The second I focused Arthur's magic into the Auror, Potter's magic latched onto the wave. A moment later, Potter and I erected a ward shield around us as we tried to keep his magic from exploding outward.

"Thanks," Potter said shakily as he dissolved the shield so his daughter could hug his side.

I nodded distractedly, then looked over the room. Most people were shaking or eyeing their family members worriedly. Draco came to me for permission to have his elves fetch tea and chocolate to help with their recoveries. I agreed, still rather worried by the devastation I was seeing in the humans who were core to the pack. If they were suffering this much, would the wolves fare worse?

I found out as the last of our group arrived. Frederick came in guiding Alicia, while Jaro Nassar dragged his sister into the room. Maya was speaking in some form of Arabic, but I didn't need a translation to know the intent of the words. Just the tone had enough bite to tear a person apart.

"But they're muggles," Draco whispered confusedly as the brother and sister came near us. We had learned some things about the magic from banishing it and watching the Weasleys treat each other. It was based on the resonance that Frederick, and Alicia earlier, had referred to. It altered it, disharmonized it in a way tore at the gentle bonding magic between family members, and in werewolves, pack members. But I had found no evidence of the malicious spell in Frederick, who was a muggle, or in Charles' muggle girlfriend. Muggles only resonated when a spell was cast directly on them. Bonding magic swirled around them, but did not enter them, as it did wizards. So the malice had nothing to grab onto.

But the Nassars were not completely muggle. "It infected the wolves," I growled back. Then I grabbed Edward and hurried over to the siblings.

We cornered Maya first, forcing my harmonizing spell into her. But when I directed Edward's magic, nothing seemed to happen. Then I realized what was wrong. "Focus your thoughts on the bond between the wolves, you fool," I hissed at the young man.

Edward looked startled, but a moment later, closed his eyes and tried again. This time, Maya sank into his arms as the malice broke.

Jaro braced himself when it was his turn. He barely did more than shudder as we rid his wolf of the foreign magic. "I have only been to the community house for the Wolfsbane within the last week," he confessed after we briefed him on what we had found.

I checked Alicia as a precautionary measure (as many cast spells on her to help them guide her amongst people), but she, like the other complete muggles, did not resonate at all.

As everyone began to settle, Molly Weasley requested that we form a circle in the ballroom to help with our difficult discussion.

Then all of us laid out what we knew, or had discovered in this room, about the magic infecting Remus's pack.

Other than muggles not being affected, we had discovered that it was strongest in declared pack members. Their family members seemed to become affected from them, so the power of the spell was weaker in those who were not officially a member. (Arthur tested my reaction to the 'curing' spell. For some odd reason, I was not affected at all. This did not make sense. Although I was not a member, Remus led the pack, and I had enough contact with him up to a few days ago that I should have had some issues.)

The malice seemed to pull directly at the bonds the affected person had with others, distorting them as it disharmonized the person's magic. We didn't know where the magic originated from, but both Potter and William Weasley agreed with my loose comparison of the magic to one contained in a horcrux. We were most likely looking for a foreign object in the community center. Probably placed there by Cara Drees, as she seemed central to what was going on.

Although we did not have a plan to clear out the community house as of yet, we knew it was best to do it before the full moon. After much arguing, it was decided that Frederick and Alicia would find and retrieve the object. Alicia knew Daryl's and Remus's resonances so well that she could distinguish a foreign object that others would overlook. William would then destroy or dispose of the object as needed. The final step would take place during the full moon. At that time, the Weasley family would enter the community house and cast spells to get rid of any lingering malice.

Once we finished that discussion, Alicia muttered, "It's probably in Daryl's office."

As gently as I could, I agreed with her. At the very least, it gave us a place to start.

We then began to split the work of dispelling the magic from the pack. It was decided that Potter and Ronald Weasley would check the Ministry for infection, as they and any pack members who went to the Ministry for Wolfsbane in an emergency might have spread it around. Draco and William Weasley would brief Minerva McGonagall. We reluctantly agreed to keep Remus isolated from the situation, as I couldn't shake the feeling that, although Daryl Richards was most heavily affected, Remus was the magic's actual target. This time, I would be the guardian who was three steps away.

Maya would be Daryl's guardian, because she, like Edward suspected, knew where the Beta was. She would keep us updated on his condition and deliver his Wolfsbane. And when the night of the moon came, she would force him to return to the community house.

Potter and I would try to rid Remus and Daryl of the malice at that point, as we would most likely need to have our harmonizing spells reinforced by the entire pack to rid them of the evil.

Until the object was located, we would pick moments to negate the magic within the other pack members. Edward promised to hug any of his siblings he encountered, and would house Jamison in his flat so that he didn't have to sleep in the dormitory.

Maya said that she would call Richard Embers to help, as he was probably the only pack member completely unaffected. I made her swear to not let him near the community house. Arthur would then plan with his children and Richard to find all pack members and treat them with the spell I had created.

"But how do we keep people from being reinfected?" Percival Weasley suddenly exclaimed.

I let out a shaky breath at that, as I didn't have an answer.

There were murmurs among the group, but no possibilities, until Laura suggested, "We create another pack. The magic is focused on pack members. But what if we don't belong to Constellation pack?"

I was skeptical, but William shrugged. "It is possible that the spell on the infecting object is that focused, even though the magic can bleed into other people. It's worth a shot."

The Weasley men immediately wanted to declare their father Alpha, while Draco suggested Potter. But then Frederick said quietly, "We already have an Alpha."

"Who?" Molly Weasley asked.

"Severus," Laura replied as she wrapped my arm in hers.

Ronald let out a yell at that, but his eldest brother gave him a stony look to quiet him. 

The others accepted my leadership much easier than I expected. But this was not the time to question their sudden comfort with me. So I pushed my doubt aside as I appealed to William for help in creating the correct situation to satisfy the werewolf curse's definition of 'pack'.

We decided the best thing to do was to use the necklaces the pack members already had. William erased the engravings with magic (after Granger-Weasley recorded them on parchment).  I replaced them with 'HBP', stylized in the way I had put on my notebook long ago.

Ronald glared at me as I replaced his wife's Artemis constellation. But I just hissed back at him, "This is temporary, this is for Remus."

At that, he finally nodded respectfully. "Make sure you get him back."

I almost hesitated when I replaced Laura's Andromeda constellation. But she just kissed my cheek. "When Remus can rejoin your family, I will rejoin his."

I nodded in satisfaction when all the engravings were replaced. Then I appointed Potter, Laura, and William Weasley as Betas, so they could pass on membership if needed.

Then Frederick said quietly, "Severus, you forgot your necklace."

I pulled the bauble out of my robe pocket and examined it. "I don't have a constellation."

"You have Remus's, on the back." Arthur pointed. "It might be enough to cause problems."

When William agreed, I went about re-charming the necklace. As I did, the safety magic that had been cast on it earlier made it flash once.

I gasped as I read the words. "Alpha's Prince."

"He loves you," Edward said softly as he saw the shock on my face. "He might not know it right now, but he does."

Suddenly, the floo opened again, and a packet of paper dropped into the cold fireplace. Granger-Weasley hurried over to retrieve it and pull it open. She read one page, then growled as if she was infected with the werewolf curse. "I thought I knew that name! Cara Drees is indeed one of Greyback's children. She apparently learned at his knee. She's taken over three packs within the last four years. Two of them by very suspicious circumstances. She has no children." She looked at her husband. "That's why Danny said he though he saw her boy at the orphanage. It *was* him. She probably used the spell to separate him from his parents."

"If she didn't kill them," Potter said worriedly. "We'll see what we can find out after we check the Ministry for infection."

"Hurry though, Potter. The child mentioned that his mother was a werewolf, and he may have been referring to his real mother, not Ms. Drees. She will need to be found quickly. We have less than a week until the moon."

Potter nodded his agreement, then we all adjourned to try to save the group we held dear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who think I got Lily's name incorrect, Luna can refer to the moon, or Moony, as well as Luna Lovegood. I did some research. Since there is no consensus on which interpretation of 'Luna' is correct, I'll go with the idea that Lily has both a godfather and a godmother.


	21. Severus

The plan to save the Constellation pack went into motion immediately. The next morning, I began to get reports on the progress of my 'army's' assigned tasks. So I went to the shop to brew more of the Wolfsbane potion, and to keep Remus's son and his friend as safe as I could.

Richard Embers came to my shop that first morning. After yelling at me for keeping Remus uninformed (then listening to Edward's appeal that his father would be the one of the hardest to cure), he agreed to help Potter treat those who called the community house home. He would not enter it, but would send a muggle friend with fliers advertising temporary jobs, which those dorming at the hall often needed. He would then send them to the Ministry to work for the day, which would allow Potter and the Weasleys to cast the harmonizing spell on them and have them join my pack.

Then Embers went to consult with Ronald Weasley about emptying the community house of everyone so we could search for the charmed object.

That evening I was told to send the Wolfsbane for the pack to a Ministry conference room, as the Constellation meeting hall had just been overrun by a migration of Cornish Pixies. Not to worry. Since the Aurors were the ones who disturbed their nesting place, they would be the ones to rid the community house of the pests.

"You asked Lockhart what to do?" I suggested as I rolled my eyes at the greenish image of Ronald Weasley about twenty minutes after I received the message.

"It was all I could think of on short notice," he grumbled back.

I sighed before nodding resignedly. "Embers reported that everyone is out of the place. It is your responsibility to fix anything the pixies break once the hall is free of the magic."

Weasley swore to do so. Then I used the muggle device Laura had given me to contact Alicia Richards. It was time to search the building.

Frederick and Alicia met me at the vehicle lot the community house used. By this point, the magic in the building had grown so much that I could feel the discordant pulse of it from there.

I held onto the chain that I had charmed to identify me as Alpha, and sighed with relief when a self-Legilimens spell revealed no change in my resonance at all after five minutes. However, I knew staying near the magic was dangerous. So Frederick set my muggle device to be in constant contact with his, then told me to retreat to his and Laura's flat a mile away.

So Laura and I listened to the device as the two muggles searched Daryl's office. It was a long and arduous task, as practically anything could be charmed with that type of spell. But just as the two were about to give up and move onto Remus's office, Alicia let out a squeak.

"I found it!" she exclaimed. Then we heard Frederick's device jostle as he went to help her retrieve what she found. "It's a paperweight, Severus. Blue glass in the shape of a wolf. The color matches that dress she was wearing when she manhandled Remus," Frederick reported.

After letting out an annoyed grumble at the reminder, I suggested, "Check Remus's room as well, just in case. The strength of the magic suggests there may be more than one source."

So they went into Remus's office. After twenty minutes, Frederick spotted a second, much smaller blue wolf on an otherwise unused shelf.

"The one Remus cleaned off to store Severus's pain potion?" Laura asked.

"Yes, that one." We could hear a rhythmic swishing sound near Frederick's device. "The percussion on the shelf feels like Severus's hands. But the only thing on it is black paper."

Laura and I looked at each other, puzzled, until I realized, "Edward poured some calming potion on black paper right before that woman was found. I thought it was an accident, but thought nothing further of it because he offered to pay to replace the potion and the paper. He may have done it deliberately to help his father through the day."

"Would that calming magic also negate her charm?" Laura asked. "It might be why she concentrated on Daryl instead of Remus."

I shrugged. "It might have muted it slightly. I doubt it would have completely dispelled the magic."

"It might have clued her into the fact that you're strong if Daryl told her it was your potion on the paper," Frederick suggested as I heard him drop the charms into the shielded bag William had given him to store whatever he found. "That may be why she tried to scare you off."

My voice took on a hard tone. "I am no longer frightened. I am incensed that she would want to ruin the place so many call home in some form." Then I gently instructed the man I had chosen as a son, "Don't touch any wizards with that bag, Frederick."

Frederick knew the importance of what I said. "I won't. We'll be home as soon as Harry and Bill destroy it. I'm going to pick up Trey from Allie's mom on the way back. They can stay with us until you can cure Daryl."

*IF* I could cure Daryl. The man had been so swamped by the woman's malice that I doubted my magic and Potter's combined would be enough to break it.

====

The second day, I began to realize that Greyback, with his tendency to show off his independence (while bowing down to Voldemort) was far from the typical werewolf. Even Remus's cowering and hiding from people were atypical. Werewolves were truly pack animals, just like their natural counterparts.

And the relationships between them were more complex than the non-cursed knew.

As I went to open the shop door that morning, I found Dorian Trane leaning against it, sickly and pale. "Prince?" he muttered as he looked up at me.

"Mr. Trane, did your Alpha brother not find you?" I asked, trying to keep sharpness out of my tone. It was difficult, as I was worried. But I did not want him to flee.

"He found us," Trane said softly as he leaned against the building. "He's just not enough to cure us. He told me to find you, because I'm the only one well enough to still walk."

I took a step back as I began to fear that the discordant magic was still within him. "What has happened?"

Trane pushed off from the building and seemed to lean into me. "The curse...That damned woman altered the werewolf curse. She took Father away from us!"

I grabbed Trane before he fell to the ground. "What?!"

"Their wolves have no Alpha. Because that evil thing in the Hall broke the Alpha bonds," I heard a voice say behind me. Holding Trane against the wall with my arm, I turned to find Christopher, the wolf Embers had taken for his own protection, standing next to me.

"Alpha sent me to find you two. He said Mr. Trane was taking too long. His brothers and sister need help. They're all having trouble because the object disrupted their connection to Professor Lupin."

"Wolves can survive decently without Alphas," I replied, confused.

Trane nodded. "When the wolf or the Alpha rejects the other. Richard says this only results when the bond is torn out by someone else's magic. He's only ever seen this when well meaning Aurors rush to save abused wolves who refuse to leave their Alphas. Until now."

"Prince, we need to get back to the Manor! Please! Ned is starting to convulse!" Jaro Nassar suddenly yelled from from an apparition point near Flourish and Blotts. He was hanging onto Draco Malfoy's hand for dear life. Draco took a few steps towards me, just as urgently.

"Your daughter is in the ballroom with him, but she doesn't seem to be able to stop it." the blond man bit out.

"What am I supposed to do?" I asked as I stared at the panicking Egyptian.

"Make them pack," Christopher replied. "Jaro and Maya are fine, because they're yours now. But we couldn't convince anyone but Dorian to join your pack because they think you've rejected the Professor. And Laura is too busy being a nurse to be Beta at the moment. "

"Why didn't your Alpha replace Lupin for them?" I looked to the three wolves, still rather confused. It would make sense for Embers to take them under his wing until Remus could take them back, especially in an emergency such as they were describing.

"He's only able to remove the bad magic. He can't become our Alpha. Because he's our *brother*, and Father's not dead." Trane coughed heavily as the curse pulled at him. "Because he's a wolf and part of the pack, Richard would have to challenge Father to take his place. Of course he's not going to do that. He'd have to exile Father afterwards. You're," he waved his hand, "somewhere in between pack and not. And you're human. Humans can bend the rules. Wolves must break the bonds."

They needed me. I had to show my face to Remus's family or they'd end up killing themselves through neglect. So I had Christopher help me support Trane as we hurried to the apparition point. A moment later, we found ourselves in the Manor ballroom. As soon as our magic dissipated, I ran over to where Laura was bent over Nathaniel Frowes.

Embers and Jaro knelt next to us as I held the sickly man's hand. When Embers saw me, he sighed with relief. "Did Dorian tell you what he needs?"

I nodded. So I quickly reconfigured the cursebreaker's necklace to match Laura's. The minute it was complete, Nathaniel's body relaxed and the convulsions stopped. I then watched bemusedly as Jaro slipped behind the other man to support him.

I looked to where Draco was holding up Trane. "Please tell me I'm not taking Remus's children permanently away from him."

Trane rolled his eyes. "You can't take away all our memories by making us pack. He's still the man who raised us. And you're Father's Prince. That makes you our Uncle, by this family's tree."

"Godfather," Jaro interjected.

"Stepfather," Nathaniel whispered as he looked up at me. "Or whatever you call your parent's new fiance."

The others nodded with each label, including Edward, who had his arm wrapped around Nathaniel's biological brother, Michael.

When I protested that neither I nor their Father had asked for marriage, Dorian replied with two words. "Not yet." I could see on their faces that they believed that would change soon. I knew I wouldn't be adverse to it. But even if the family recovered well from this trauma, Remus and I had much to discuss before lifetime commitment could be considered.

"We can call both of you Alpha, when the situation stabilizes," Embers clarified after a few moments of silence. "Because you're part of the family. You have been since you came home."

All the cross talk about family and pack was beginning to give me a headache. So I went around changing the necklaces of Remus's remaining children. As I did, each one nodded approvingly and whispered, "Thank you, Prince." Then I asked Draco to retrieve some books from Minerva McGonagall while I stayed to help the wolves recover.

In the meantime, I watched as hostile glances passed between Michael Frowes and Maya Nassar. This perplexed me until I saw that Edward was sitting next to their biological siblings, who were wrapped around each other. That explained why the muggle-werewolf risked apparating to ensure I understood the urgency of the situation.

I looked to Jaro, who had Nathaniel drowsing on his shoulder. "Have you told Remus yet?" I asked as I waved my hand at them.

Jaro shook his head. "We started belonging to each other about the same time that you and Father did."

I nodded and laid a hand on Jaro's shoulder. From his statement, I guessed they simply stopped resisting feelings that had been within them for years, much as Remus and I did. So I turned to the two older siblings and barked, "Do not jeopardize your brothers' chance at happiness. You were raised together. Do not act like you don't trust the other just because your 'baby brother' found love right under your noses!"

Michael startled and sighed, "Yes, Prince." Maya muttered the same after watching Nathaniel curl into her brother.

"I told you, he's just like Father. Just in black instead of light brown," I heard behind me in a slight French lilt. When I turned, I saw Yvette Marin advising the Irish twins, Sean and Ian Campbell, who were sporting two heads of contrasting striped hair.

The twins nodded in unison, with a simultaneous "You're right," making Edward roll his eyes at them. "Knock it off. Dad said you are not allowed to act like the Weasley twins!"

"Why not?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"They're fraternal twins!" Nine voices raised in unison.

A moment later, paper and small stinging hexes were flying through the air as the family dissolved into laughter. This crisis, at least, was over. The family could take time to regroup before we tackled retrieving their two leaders. Laura smiled at me between bouts of hexes and nodded approvingly.

When Draco returned, Embers and I read the passages in the werewolf books I should have read earlier, then discussed what had just happened. As we did, his siblings, Laura, Jamison and Christopher sat in a semi-circle around us. 

"That woman probably has a counter spell she uses to clear the discordant magic. It's most likely not as nice as the one you created. It probably just drains the disruption spell without any attempt at creating harmony," Embers started explaining. "The curse, needing to fill the sudden void, will cause the wolf severe pain. I can imagine that she tells the disharmonized wolves that she can stop the pain if they accept her as Alpha. Within minutes, she has some new pawns to play with."

Dorian let out a growl. "We are not pawns. We're a bloody family."

"Most likely the first one she's encountered," Draco said as he helped his house elves give everyone lunch. "You all support and share with each other in a way most packs would envy. Because your Alpha is one of the few who believes that your well being comes before any desire he has for power. In fact, Professor McGonagall was amazed that that woman got anywhere in her quest, with all the checks Lupin has in place to keep him from abusing his power."

Trane nodded. "She couldn't go through Father to disrupt us, could she? I bet his little statue came first. But Ted and Al covered his shelf with Severus's potion. His thoughts probably focused on the Prince, not Cara. She had to go through Daryl, with something that had a stronger spell."

"But how could she go through Daryl? Daryl has a wife. I'm only your Alpha's live in convenience." I asked softly, thinking worriedly of Alicia.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes at my comment and muttered 'fiance' before explaining, "Because Daryl thinks he's Father's Alpha, and Allie's Alpha as well." 

"Not literally," Embers said when I gave him a perplexed glance. "He just thinks both of them will fall apart if he isn't there to protect them."

"He's thought that way since Father cried over him in the Hogwarts infirmary. When Allie told him and Remus the story of how she lost her sight to a robber, it just made him worse. Because she cried the rest of the night. Remus told us she needed to cry to heal. But Daryl just looked terrified," Jaro admitted. "Tears scare Daryl."

"I always believed Remus used tears to get past things," I said softly. "He generally seemed a little stronger afterwards."

The others agreed. Including Draco, oddly enough. Then I thought of his son. It would not have surprised me if Remus had shed a few tears for Scorpius.

"Daryl had been with Falcher...probably since he was four. He was already hardened by the time I came to join him, six years later. Although I'm only five days younger than Daryl, he always seemed so much stronger than I was." Embers said sadly. "Father found him eleven years after he was first taken. By then Falcher had beaten the tears completely out of him. And anything else he saw as weakness. Cara used that to start breaking us apart. Because the last person Daryl goes to for help is Father, who would have noticed the magic. As Daryl sees it, he's supposed to take care of Father, not the other way around."

"I seem to remember Albus saying something similar about somebody else," I heard Minerva McGonagall say from behind me. She was dusting off the soot from the fireplace. Her stare bored into me as I turned towards her. I sighed and nodded. "But I will not refuse help this time," I told her softly, causing her to come up to me and lay a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"We will need all the help we can get," Dorian said worriedly. "Father will find a way to recover, one way or another. Even if it takes weeks and he has to talk to dozens of people. But Daryl's harder. He doesn't know how to reach out to people. Allie says he barely reaches out to her."

"If he does reach out, hold on tight to him and don't let go," Embers admonished his siblings. "Cara will come looking for us once she thinks her spell is done destroying what we have. But we don't need her. We've already grabbed the hand of our sister, brother, friend...stepfather," he smiled at me. "And we know we can grab Father's hand again, as soon as he finds his way back to us. Daryl thinks he's alone. I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks we've deserted him. He's dangerous to us right now, with Cara's magic still inside him. But as soon as it's gone, we have to make sure he's holding onto one of us."

I watched as the family nodded almost as one. Those not of their immediate group, myself included, swore to give Daryl to one of them if we found him reaching to us first. In return, Remus's children promised to hand their Father straight to me as soon as they could. Because they were sure that I was his path back to them. I was his Prince, after all.


	22. Severus

The day of the full moon dawned bright and cheery. Not at all dark and ominous. as my heart felt the day should appear. For if we could not rescue the missing leaders of the pack this day, at least one of them might be lost.

But the group tasked with saving Constellation pack treated it as if it was as grey as the day Voldemort nearly defeated all of us. Because the situation was just as dire.

The Wolfsbane was bottled and distributed as quickly as possible. Everyone except our last two victims was checked for disharmony (luckily, no reinfections were found). Hexes were practiced by the humans. Defensive moves meant for four legs were discussed among the wolves.

Even Molly Weasley was affected by the urgency. As we gathered in the yard at the Burrow for the full moon dinner, the group was given a hearty meal meant to keep up their collective strength. Little affections and words of encouragement were shared, first by the Weasley family, then by everyone, as they realized the bonds between them were the best defenses against the pack that was trying to destroy theirs.

Even I, as solitary as I normally was, went around within the group to straighten a wand wave, listen to a defensive plan, guide two people back to each other after they had gotten separated in the overcrowded yard. I also whispered words to help the worried Lupin family hold on a little longer. Their father and elder brother only needed a hand outstretched at the right time, I promised. I did my best to not reveal that I was as worried as they were.

Until Dorian and Laura pulled me aside to let me steal the few minutes rest I needed to be able to continue on.

In that time, Maya went to retrieve the Beta, while Potter went to to find the Alpha. Both were bringing them straight to the community house yard, as little of the lingering malicious magic seemed to drift out there. Maya went by muggle vehicle. Potter, by the emergency floo that had been erected outside.

Arthur assured me that once the moon rose, his family would apparate into the front hall and start attacking the evil in the community house.

Then it was my turn to help my pack arrive in the yard safely.

When I nodded, Longbottom gathered the guardians so they could apparate first. Samuel Levi, Maya's husband, but not an official pack member as of yet, would block the entrances to the community house with magic after Frederick went through it to check that Ms. Drees' pack hadn't disturbed the warded building. The guardians would then apparate and watch for danger as I sent the wolves in by floo.

Cara had no use for the humans. She wanted the wolves, especially Remus and Daryl. So the humans would be the first line in defense. Daryl would then be locked in the enclosure behind thirty other wolves. But Potter insisted that Remus be free to roam, as Cara would most likely challenge him directly. The defense master would need to be able to use his skills, if he did not fall at her feet to ask for mercy.

I sighed worriedly as I helped Jaro hold tightly enough to Nathaniel so they would be carried in the floo network together.

"Father does know how to fight," Nathaniel whispered to me as he grabbed a handful of floo powder. "You, of all people, should know this."

"I do," I replied. "But his tendency to make himself vulnerable has me wanting to protect him, much like Daryl had."

Jaro chuckled right before his significant one transported them to the community house. "That's exactly what Father says about you."

For once, the thought of Remus attempting to take care of me brought a small smile to my lips.

====

The mood in the yard was tense when I arrived. Edward and Levi argued about the creation of an emergency exit in the enclosure, to ensure that the not-family wolves could flee. The exit had already been created, right before Jamison and the other previously rescued wolves were guided into the space. But Edward was furious because Levi believed that Daryl should not have access to the exit because he still harbored the malicious magic within him.

I laid a hand on Edward's shoulder and whispered, "I will keep him alive," as I watched Dorian gather his other siblings and Laura to remove clothing and otherwise get them ready for the coming moon. Scanning the clearing outside the enclosure, I saw Alicia shed quiet tears as she handed her adopted son Trevor off to Richard and Christopher. Christopher would watch over Trevor from inside the enclosure, ready to help him flee if necessary. Richard would remain outside the enclosure to help the humans and his family battle whatever threat Cara Drees devised. Frederick would keep Alicia safe at the corner of the humans' space. She needed to be nearby. She might be imperative when it was time to keep my promise to Edward.

I could not see Remus until Potter moved to talk to Longbottom at the edge of the field. The Alpha had his back against a tree and looked despondent and ill. His condition was similar to how Dorian had looked the other day, with the evil magic removed but no harmony restored.

I used all the will I had to keep from going over to him to pull him into my arms right then. For I didn't know if he was free of the magic. In fact, he most likely wasn't, as Potter seemed to be keeping him away from everyone.

So I concentrated on gathering the family's clothes and checking on Daryl from afar. He had secluded himself in a corner of the yard. He was curled up, with his face hidden from everyone. He probably didn't even realize that Maya, Jaro and Edward had made a semi-circle around him, keeping their distance to not become infected, but ready to aid him if his condition changed. I nodded to them encouragingly, especially Remus's biological son. I would fulfill my promise to him, no matter what happened. I would stay near Daryl, while trusting Potter and Longbottom to do their best for Remus.

Cara Drees came into the clearing with three of her pack mere minutes before moonrise. It seemed almost anticlimactic that she went over to Remus while ignoring the rest of us. But it was logical when I considered that if she made the Alpha bow to her, the rest of the pack would likely follow. So most of the time, she only had to prepare to fight one person.

But she didn't know that Remus's current pack only contained two members. I didn't want to inadvertently give that away, so I stood apart from the wolves, and checked that all the humans had their pack signs hidden.

Dorian, realizing the same thing I did, acted weak and rather docile, and encouraged his siblings to do the same.

Then we watched and listened as that woman stole the man who was ours.

"Do you like this dress too, Remus? I bought it just for you," she said as she embraced the Alpha. 

"It's beautiful," Remus said as he wrapped his arms around her. "It looks like the ones my wife Nym used to wear."

I blinked at the name he used for his wife. It sounded odd, but it was most likely a nickname I had just never been in his presence to hear. Cara, however, appeared to be bothered by the mention of his wife. She seemed to need all of his attention. She insisted, "I'm prettier than her, aren't I?"

Remus nodded as his arms tightened around her. They stayed like that as we watched. Cara's hand carded through Remus's grey hair as he bowed his head to her.

I was growing increasingly sick to my stomach as his head bowed lower still.

A moment later, they separated as he whipped off the one piece robe he wore and threw it to Potter.

Cara let her dress fall to the ground. 

Then the moon shone on the field.

That night was the first time I had been close to any of them during the transformation since Remus's wolf had threatened me when Potter had been a youth. I expected to be terrified.

But these wolves were my pack, my charges. So instead of fear, I felt concern as I heard the pain all of them went through. 

Until the transformations finished. Then, almost as one, the Lupin children's wolves attacked the three members of Cara's pack who had stationed themselves as guards, driving them towards Potter as if they were sheep. The siblings ignored the guards' attempts at fighting back, as there was enough of them to protect one another. The humans surrounded the group, hexing the guards enough to keep them moving backwards. Only Laura and Jaro moved to stay by me, pacing near my feet.

I was shocked, as this wasn't part of the plan. However, Potter didn't seem startled by their actions. His face was a mask of determination. For what, I wasn't sure.

But then my attention was shifted to where Remus's wolf was growling and snapping at Cara's, driving her backwards towards the tree where he had been standing. She fought back. Her wolf form wasn't the advantage she most likely expected. Although she was also sired by Greyback, I doubted that she was any bigger than Black's animagus form had been. All Remus needed was Potter's occasional hex to keep her moving to the tree. His children, too, shifted so they were driving the others towards the tree.

I would have joined their quest, as I expected someone had hidden a plan amongst the ones I presided over. Of course the culprit was most likely the Marauder.

Jaro, however, butted his muzzle against my knee the moment I shifted towards the group. But before I could argue with him, there was a problem. Richard tripped over a tree root. One of Cara's guards darted away from the group and straight towards me. I whipped out my wand so violently that my wrist wobbled a little before I could steady it enough to cast a hex. The guard jumped right over Laura and Jaro, and headed for my neck. But before I felt more than the wisp of the guard's breath, the Moonchild grabbed the attacking wolf's tail in his strong teeth and threw him towards the tree next to his Alpha. 

Then the family formed a line and drove the other wolves back further, into the darkness surrounding the tree. A moment later, I heard a clanging sound.

I was rather confused until I heard Kingsley Shacklebolt exclaim, "That's it, it's locked!" Then the artificial shadows around the tree melted away as the moonlight hit the mist of magic that suddenly faded.

Next to the tree was a cage, that now contained the four wolves from the other pack. Around it were the Lupin wolves, Potter, Shacklebolt and Longbottom. 

Shacklebolt gave a nod to Moonchild after checking the locks on the cage. Then I gasped as the wolf ran straight for me. The next thing I knew, I was flat on my back and a soft canine tongue stroked down my nose.

"Remus! What are you doing?!" I groaned at the pain in my back, even as my hands buried themselves in his fur.

The humans laughed and the wolves yipped as two amber eyes stared into mine. Then a muzzle sniffed and licked at a few marks on my neck.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine," I muttered until the huge beast looming over me collapsed to my side and tried to burrow into me as he whimpered.

The best I could do to calm him was stroke his fur and murmur that I was safe into his ear. I was so preoccupied by this that I didn't notice his children had come to lay around us until Shacklebolt exclaimed, "Now that is attractive. Don't you think so, Cara? Just as attractive as watching a five year old play a game of chase the tail with his werewolf mother. Which they are doing tonight, safely back in their house."

Shacklebolt's gaze met mine as a smile graced his lips. "Being beautiful can be an asset. I know it's served you well, Cara. But beautiful will never be as attractive as a lover who steals your pack out from under your nose to save them from a threat, even though every instinct in him says to run before he screws up again. It also has the added bonus of leaving you free to fake interest in the enemy without jeopardizing them. So you can help them rescue you and go back to the lover who has treated you so well...and apparently left you with a nose fetish."

Remus growled as the yips and laughs sounded again. But I just hushed him by burying my face in the fur at his neck.

"It's amazing what being locked in Minerva McGonagall's office can do to a werewolf, especially one whose Alpha hangs on the wall," Potter said softly near my hip. "By the way, Dumbledore's portrait says congratulations. He always knew there was something special between you two."

"He's a liar, or he was much better at predicting the future than he appeared to be," I muttered into Remus's neck.

"Anything's possible," Potter said. "The fact that you're using Moony as a teddy bear proves that."

I just tightened my arms around my companion in reply. Then we were left alone to rest and recuperate until we heard Edward yell from inside the enclosure, "Dad! Severus! Help! Daryl's starting to convulse!"

====

A moment later, Longbottom's hand reached for mine as Remus scrambled to his feet and ran into the enclosure. I shook my head at Longbottom's offer of a shoulder to lean on as we hurried to Daryl's corner right behind the wolf.

The smaller wolf was in obvious distress. His body was shaking violently.

So in the spirit of the Alpha next to me, I risked my life for his eldest child. "Potter, help. I need to hold him."

Potter looked shocked for a moment, then murmured, "Let me muzzle him first, so he doesn't accidentally bite you." 

"No, it'll restrict his breathing. I don't think he can breathe properly now, because of the magic. It's beginning to choke him. I'm not restricting him further."

Potter sighed and settled for positioning Daryl so that his jaws extended beyond my leg, making it hard for his teeth to reach it.

Then Edward slid under Daryl's hind quarters to sit beside me. When I looked up, Frederick was guiding Alicia to sit at my feet.

Alicia could not generate magic to rid her husband of the evil. But she had a magic all her own. "Call to him, let him know you haven't abandoned him," I requested of the lawyer. "We need to keep him as calm as possible to help the magic leave him."

Daryl's wife gave a sharp nod. "I'm ready when you are."

Then the battle for Daryl Richards' life began.

At first, Edward struggled to find good thoughts of his brother. The last two weeks had weighed on us all. But then I saw flickers of images in my mind. I quickly used my Occulmency skills to guide them into Daryl. A water fight on a summer's day, teaching Edward to run in wolf form, watching Daryl and Alicia pledge to love each other.

My ears heard Daryl's lover call to him, pleading for him to fight, to live. But I could tell it wasn't enough. Where the others' bonds to family had been distorted or had snapped cleanly, the Beta's were practically shattered. They had to be rebuilt piece by piece. But we were fighting time as well. I could feel the malice tighten around his magical core, choking it and his physical being. It would kill him if we could not push it out of him soon.

Then Edward called to the other wolves, who crowded us in order to touch Daryl, to remind him of the bonds they shared. They showered us with random joys, both large and small. And the feelings of togetherness that they knew so well. As I filtered their thoughts to their eldest brother, the malice began to weaken slowly.

It weakened more as Remus laid his jaw on my shoulder to remind Daryl that he had made him a father a second time around, and now a grandfather.

Then a weaker voice called, from undisciplined magic near my knee. But I strengthened it as much as I could. For the bond it held was still weak, but held a potential for strength only Remus's could echo. For it contained the memory of a boy wrapped in Daryl's arms, murmuring 'Thank you, Father.' into his chest.

The malice couldn't survive the growth of the Lupin family. It left Daryl's muzzle in a cloud of grey dust.

Then all the wolves settled around us to keep their wounded one warm, echoing their first night as a pack, twenty years ago. 


	23. Remus

I laid on the ground in the sunlight, panting from the morning transformation. I was shivering almost uncontrollably. But it was only partially due to the cold spring breeze. I was also hoping with everything I had that I didn't dream that Daryl survived the night. On my lips was the whispered belief that we were able to get to him before that woman destroyed the man who had given me purpose, and so much more. But before I could look for him, I was gathered up against a warm but somewhat bony body. I sighed contently as I relished every poke of those bones into my flesh.

"Severus," I murmured as I turned my face into his neck and inhaled the scent of the bark he used to make the pain potion.

I heard an answering murmur that could have been my name. Then hesitantly, a hand tilted my head so I could look him in the eye. He cradled me as his head moved towards me, then stopped. He waited until I whispered "Yes, please," then shifted to reach my lips with his. I curled myself around Severus contently. For a moment, I let his comforting kiss block out my pain and worry.

But then a pressure on my bare foot brought me back to reality. Touching me gently with his hand and bowing his head in supplication, was my eldest son. The one who had me near tears a moment before. He, as usual, was appealing to his Alpha. But he still couldn't see that his place in the pack was only half of what he was to me. I wanted to hold my eldest *son*. I hesitated to let Severus go, but he must have understood my turmoil. Because he just helped me settle against him as I pulled Daryl towards me and wrapped an arm around him.

The moment I did, I received a violent shock as Daryl started *crying*. "Alpha, I'm sorry," he sobbed as he tried to push himself away from me.

For a moment, I didn't know what to do. This was the child who saw me as Alpha first. The one who made me hide my hands behind my back so that I didn't try to grab him and hug him. Every time I'd try, he'd run the other way, claiming that he had something to do to make my life easier. But I didn't want things to be easier. I wanted him to feel loved.

So, after a moment to reassert those instincts that helped me raise eleven children, I did what I should have done twenty years ago. I held him tightly to my shoulder as he emptied himself of the panicked tears the last weeks had caused. "Shh, Dare, I have you. I'm here. And I am *not* letting go."

He sobbed harder as I called him by the nickname Jaro had given him before the younger boy could pronounce his full name. The name that had died away as he became the professional instead of the sibling or the son. At that moment, I regretted letting him grow up at fifteen. He, like Harry, had ended up with too much responsibility at that young age.

But there was nothing stopping me from reclaiming my son at that moment, so I held on tightly. To give him the safety he had lost because he had been manipulated. And to tell him that I would help him find the rest of what had been stolen from him. 

He at least trusted me to be there for him in that moment. I heard "Father" murmured into my shoulder as his hand settled near my heart. I shifted it so he could feel the beat better, which I hoped would help him rest. As Daryl fell asleep against my shoulder, finally exhausting the turmoil inside him, I felt Severus shift behind me. Parts of my back suddenly felt cold.

"Where do you think you're going, Prince?" I heard Dorian snap from the side not occupied by my eldest. Then Severus settled against me again with a grumble. His annoyance would have looked more real if he hadn't immediately put an arm around me.

I turned my head to see Dorian carrying a basket and glaring at Severus. I sighed. "Gently, please, Dorian. Severus had a tough night. And keep your voice down, your brother just fell asleep."

Dorian rolled his eyes, but nodded.

"How old is he, five?" Ned snorted as he entered the enclosure.

A moment later, Richard shoved Ned's shoulder. "Give Dare a break. He didn't get to be five the first time around."

"Too bad I can't cast spells. I could summon Whaley for him. I still have him on a shelf at home," Jaro murmured as he kissed the top of Daryl's head. "He still floats too."

I chuckled softly as I remembered the stuffed whale I had bought for Jaro when we all had visited the London aquarium the second year we were together. Not understanding the concept of a stuffed animal (because he had never had one before), Jaro had taken it into the bathtub the next day and sobbed as it filled with water and sank. So Daryl had dried it with a spell and cast another to make it float so that his youngest wolf brother could play with it in the bath without getting the whole cottage wet.

I watched as Ned came over to mirror Jaro's kiss on Daryl's head, then take the younger man's hand. I smiled at them. "Make sure you listen to each other, now that you're together. Or Alia will order me to do worse than lock doors on the two of you."

"Momma?!" Jaro exclaimed as his eyes grew wide.

"You locked us in there?!" Ned's voice overlapped with Jaro's. I winced as I felt Daryl shift. Their indignation was not helping him rest.

But a small laugh reassured me. A beat later, Daryl murmured into my shoulder, "Warn me the next time you use my office for marauding, Father. They scattered my case files all over the floor when they climbed on my desk."

"Sorry," I kissed the top of Dare's head in apology.

Then I felt Severus laugh behind me. "Potter would be proud."

"His son was relieved. Harry said Ned acted more like a bear than a wolf until I locked them in there." I turned my head to steal another kiss from Severus. I murmured happily against his lips when he obliged me.

Then I settled comfortably between my love and my eldest son as the rest of our children came back into the enclosure much more calmly than their entrance the night before. Maya tutted at us and yelled to her husband to 'magic' her a blanket, which she used to cover me and Daryl.

Laura checked Severus's hands, my neck (because Severus was sure Cara had gotten too close to it), and Dare's pulse. She then handed the three of us bottles of pain potion, and ordered Severus and Daryl not to move from my side until after Dorian served our breakfast. 

The twins came and reported (after twin hugs to Dare's back) that the Weasleys had been able to clear out the bad magic from the community house. Yvette shuddered as she kissed all of our cheeks. "We need to replace their magic quickly. The gathering room feels like a garish sweater."

Then Michael, Teddy and Ricky came in bringing Allie and Trey to us. I summoned another blanket so that I could guide Daryl into his wife's arms, where he cried a few more tears as he kissed her and his son.

"This makes you a grandfather now, Dad," Teddy said as he hugged Daryl, me, and surprisingly, Severus. "Are you ok with it?"

I shrugged. "I panicked when you were born. Dare did the panicking this time."

"For the wrong reason," Michael said as he glared at Daryl. "What stupid idea made you push us all away when you needed us, you idiot?"

"You've been hanging around Severus, haven't you?" Daryl retorted as he glared back, then pulled Michael into a hug to apologize.

A moment later, we all laughed. Everyone finally relaxed and told Daryl what he had missed as Dorian handed out breakfast pasties.

"Why are we all eating out here while the others are inside?" I asked a bit later as I settled against Severus with a full stomach.

"Molly said that 'The Fifteen' needed to commune before the rest of the pack intruded on us," Dorian said authoritatively.

"But there are seventeen people here," Severus pointed out.

"Dare needed his whole family here," Richard replied quietly. "We weren't going to leave Allie and Trey out just because they weren't part of the original packs. Father taught us that you break the rules when necessary. But you know that. You're not bad at it."

He grinned at Severus before reaching to touch Daryl's leg. "Don't you ever do this to us again, or I swear I will lock you in a room with Severus until he convinces you that being strong is about more than having a stiff upper lip. It's also about knowing when to ask for or accept help. For Merlin's sake, did Father teach you nothing?"

"He just taught me it's never too late to try to fix your mistakes," Daryl whispered as he grabbed Richard's hand and squeezed.

Richard smiled. "Good. Finally."

I could feel Severus freeze against me as Richard treated him as one of their teachers/guardians. For once, I didn't know how to calm him. We both knew that he was imperfect in that regard. I could actually feel his fear of failure beginning to overtake him, as it had me a few times those first couple years as father. But then Laura kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear. Ned came closer to whisper, "Stepfather" at him, making him roll his eyes. But he relaxed a little.

I looked between them, confused. Then Dorian said, "When Father becomes perfect, then we might expect you to be that way too. You were there for us when we needed someone. That would at least get you the title of 'Monsieur' in this group. But we know what you think of the original Marauders. We won't make you share their titles. So get used to being called 'Prince'."

"Or 'Stepfather,'" Ned snickered.

Daryl nodded. "We'll have to watch for trouble, so nobody thinks one of us is Cinderella. There's no 'evil' in front of stepfather here."

I covered my eyes and tried not to laugh as Severus just looked more and more shocked. "Daryl, stop it. I haven't asked him to Teddy's wedding yet, let alone to stand by me at my next one."

Teddy stood over us for a moment as he tried to stare Severus down. "You *are* coming, aren't you, Severus?"

The man I loved let out a put-on sigh. "I suppose I must be there to keep the handkerchiefs your father will need when you say your vows."

"Take some for Daryl too, just in case." Ned said gently as he hugged Daryl's back. "Big brothers are a lot like fathers."

Severus was quiet as he watched my children finally settle back into the patterns we all knew so well, with one change. Daryl was treated like the precious bundle that Teddy had been throughout the years. We had been one step away from losing him. We would have lost him, if Severus hadn't been with us.

I stroked the arm that had curled around my abdomen as I settled back with the cup of tea Dorian handed me. After a few moments, that nasal haughtiness that I was beginning to find comforting whispered, "Why did I not know you were faking your interest in Ms. Drees last night?"

"He doesn't know the story of Nym?" Dorian asked as he and Daryl both narrowed their eyes at my love.

I shook my head. "He was protecting Neville at the school. So he wasn't around when Dora threatened to turn Fred into a mouse and stick him in a cage in front of Mrs. Black's portrait at Grimmauld Place."

Severus coughed. "Am I to understand that she made that suggestion because he attempted to give her a nickname she opposed?"

I nodded. "Mmhmm. The minute she did, Fred panicked and told the whole house. The rest of us just shrugged it off. Dora hated the first part of her name, something that he had been told many times before. All of my children were curious about the woman who would have loved to be their Mother, so they have heard three different versions of the story, from me, Harry, and George. They know it well."

Dorian nodded. "We knew something was up the second Father said the name. He'd never call Mama Dora that. So I started looking around. There were no mice that I could see in the yard, nor any portraits. But we do have the challenger cage Teddy and Laura created to help keep everyone safe. All you do is back the other wolf into it and it locks itself."

"And normally in the spring, the moon shines right at that tree Father was standing against. But last night, that area was dark. So we knew something had to be hidden there," Richard added. "We didn't have Daryl to show us it was a scheme. But we know how to spell Marauder."

"M-O-O-N-Y." Harry said with a grin from the enclosure entrance. "I brought you some clothes, Remus. And I found a pair of jeans and a sweater in Daryl's office. Molly's going to clean the ones he was wearing to check that they are free of magic."

He sat my jeans and t-shirt on the blanket covering me. "Thank you," I said softly as I stood to get dressed, then helped Daryl, as he still seemed rather weak.

Daryl tried to protest until Severus stood up to smooth the wrinkles out of my shirt. "I will not have you look ragged. You are a leader."

"You may be stuck with each other, no matter how he looks. You'd better get inside. The rescued wolves refuse to leave the gathering room until they have two Alphas, named Snape and Lupin," Bill said from behind Harry.

"There's an uprising?" Daryl said worriedly as we left the enclosure to see what was going on. "Who do I have to yell at?"

"Severus's other apprentice," Bill replied. "But from what I could tell, the whole room agrees with him."

I shrugged. "I have no issue sharing the work of being Alpha with Severus, as long as Daryl shares his work with Dorian and Laura."

"Yes, Alpha," Daryl said automatically. Then softer, "I won't jeopardize the pack again."

I pulled Daryl back into my arms. "I want you to have people backing you up in case you're attacked again. I love you, Dare. This is the second time I nearly lost you. I do not want a third. And you need time for Allie and Trey. Work a little less."

Daryl nodded into my chest, so I shoved him gently towards Allie. Then I grabbed Severus's hand. "Will you help me make the pack safe again, my Prince?"

Severus nodded, even though he looked terrified. "If I may ask for help as well."

"Of course," I said softly into his ear. We had so much more to learn about each other, so much more to resolve. I was relieved that we had gotten to the point of being able to keep everyone safe again. Now I hoped we could get back to *us."*


	24. Severus

I held on tightly to Remus's hand as I watched thirty canine souls drop to one knee before us. I was glad that the humans did not. I did not want them mocked, as many of them were war heroes. And Potter kneeling to me would not reflect well on any of us. My past was still a matter of conjecture in many wizards' eyes. But they too made a statement of fealty. When Longbottom configured a rolling pin into a sword, I realized they did it for everyone. The wolves could protect Remus well enough. The humans would be needed to protect me.

This bothered me, because the point of being an Alpha was to protect *them*. Or it was for Remus, and now for myself. I didn't care what Greyback and his ilk had believed.

But when Richard Embers nodded his approval of the proceedings, I did my best to not let my worry show. I simply acknowledged their acceptance of me with a nod.

Then I turned my attention to the tired souls who would not rest until calmness was restored, at least for the moment. Remus asked how they wished to work with two Alphas. Ideas came out quickly. Pack member opinions were given priority, but everyone was listened to. This was an unusual situation. It might require an unusual solution.

After a few short arguments, it was decided that we would reconfigure the pack necklaces so that both a constellation and the initials of my no-longer-secret alias appeared on everyone's charm. Everyone would have one primary Alpha, to satisfy the curse's demands. But because Remus and I were supporting each other, any pack member would be able to turn to either of us in a time of need. In my tired state, I heard Richard talk of placement of the symbols being important, but for once, I left it to our Betas to ensure that part was handled correctly.

As I was the one who had kept guard over the pack the night before without any sleep, I was ordered to rest by half of the group. So I found a soft chair in a corner where I could watch the proceedings. Frederick settled by my side as Laura helped Remus and Dorian reconfigure the necklaces. I must have fallen asleep as they finished, because when I woke up to Remus shaking my shoulder gently, a quarter of the pack was surrounding me.

As I stared at the people in front of me, including Albert and Kyle, the third of the latest rescued group, they bowed their heads. "They chose you as primary Alpha," Remus explained as he helped me stand.

I was perplexed by the idea that they found me more compelling than Remus, who was much friendlier than I. But they all looked sincere in their regard. So, remembering the passages Embers and I read in the werewolf books, I went around to each of them and touched their heads or shoulders lightly in acceptance. I saw that Remus touched them as well, presumably to recreate the Alpha bond he had. 

That exhausted us both, as it drew on our magic heavily. "We will introduce you to the rest of the pack at the dinner. I don't want to overwhelm you by creating all the bonds today," Remus whispered as we leaned against a wall once the task was complete.

I nodded. "They all need rest. We have all stayed later than usual. I will remain in contact with the Betas in case it causes difficulties for anyone."

Laura and Dorian then came over to show us the notes they had collected from Daryl's notebook on my primary group. "We're forbidding Daryl from doing anything more than accepting hugs and advising us until at least Friday," Dorian said. "So grab Ted if you have any questions on them. Daryl usually discusses the new ones with him as he writes in his book. Harry has decided to be your human Beta. He's better at understanding you. Neville's better at figuring out Father's moods."

My fatigue pulled at me as I tried to understand the quick reorganization they undertook so that everyone had multiple people seeing to their well being. "And what of you?"

"Ted and I decided that we are the bridges between the two groups, just like he is between humans and wolves during the full moon. It's going to take a bit of cooperation for us all to work together. But as long as the two of you communicate well, we shouldn't have a problem, even if we expand the pack further." Dorian waggled his eyebrows to suggest that Remus and I should communicate in a rather private way.

Remus and I looked at each other and sighed. "They're determined to see us married, aren't they?" my partner said softly.

"They may get what they want, but not until we are ready," I replied. "I will not jeopardize any of them by rushing into it."

Remus nodded as he pulled me away from our children. "Take the time you need. Cara showed me how much I might be rushing into things without being sure of my decisions."

He was staring at me when he said this, with a rather deep frown on his face. Then he turned away from me as he talked to Dorian about a few of his group. 

Then, in my exhaustion, I found that it didn't always require outside intervention to distort the bonds between me and those who I cared for.

My mind latched onto his words and would not let them go. Of course, he was rushing into a relationship with me. I decided then that I would allow him time to resolve his indecision about me. Perhaps his magic called to him less around me now that beauty had attracted his eye in Ms. Drees. I resolved that I would not interfere if he took his heart elsewhere, like Lily had. He had given me friendship. He had given me a family that was strong and compassionate. I could not ask for more. So when the pack was settled enough that others began to head for their beds, I headed for the Manor and the room I was borrowing within.

Draco gave me an odd look when I arrived through the floo, but said nothing.

I had just settled on the bed in my nightshirt when something banged against the door to the guest room. Then the door swung open with a violent shudder.

Framed by the doorjamb stood Remus, looking exhausted. So much so that he was shaking as he held onto the wood of the moulding. But his eyes were bright amber as they met mine, and his face reflected the anger in his eyes.

"What did I do wrong?" he nearly growled. His fingers dug into the wood around him, leaving dents.

"Remus.." I was afraid to move. I could see that the wolf was near the surface. But I had no idea why I had driven him to that much anger.

But then he barked out his thoughts. "Tell me why I made Daryl and Michael track you when Daryl could barely stand! Tell me why I had to reassure our children that everything was fine, because they knew you should have left with me."

"You talked of rushing..." I cursed the weakness that made my voice sound small.

Remus sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Dora would call this poetic justice, after all the trouble I put her through. It wasn't about you! I was referring to letting Cara into the community house. If I had checked records before inviting her in, I might have avoided all of the pain. I would have avoided causing you pain."

"She would have found another way," I replied as I watched him approach the bed slowly. "She thought she was entitled to have you, in any way she pleased."

"I'm looking at the only person who has that right," he whispered as he hesitantly reached for me. I swore I whimpered when I leaned into him, as he had the night before when he felt my touch. At that moment, I knew why he had dug into my side. Close wasn't close enough, not when there were people about who could take him away.

"Come home with me. Please," Remus pleaded. "Although I am extremely grateful that Draco gave you the safety that I couldn't this past week, if I'm to get any rest at all, I need you to be where I can reach for you. I can't promise we'll get much sleep. Too much turmoil has beaten on us. But I promise you won't be alone through the struggle." 

I nodded into his chest. But I wouldn't let him move until his presence began to settle my nerves. We rested there for a few moments before Remus asked, "Do you think you can handle the floo? Neither of us are in any condition to apparate."

I stood up, fighting my exhaustion one more time. Then we wrapped an arm around each other as we made our way out into the hall. Draco was by the fireplace, waiting quietly. "I'll have Gebby deliver your things in the morning," he said as he handed both of us some floo powder.

I thanked him humbly, as he had gone way beyond necessity for my sake. But the blond man just shook his head. "Helping you with your family only begins to pay my debt to you. But the rest is best saved for another day. You deserve some time to recover."

Moments later, Remus and I were falling into the bed that felt like home.

====

I cursed that blasted woman yet again as we both struggled to get the rest we needed. Although we slept wrapped around each other, we both woke repeatedly after dreams of losing each other or our children. The only good part was the fact that the fear only lasted seconds upon waking. Hands and lips soothed when they ran along a shoulder or neck. Then the warmth of another body eased sleep back.

After three hours of this, I heard Remus whisper a spell against my neck. Then it was as if his magic entwined with mine in the small space between our clothed bodies. Warmth suffused me as I felt him surround me, as if he was a cloak I was draped in. Then sleep pulled at me and didn't let me go.

When I woke, the light from the dawn was just beginning to creep into the room. Carefully, I pulled back from Remus just enough to see his face. It was relaxed in sleep, as if his nightmares had been whisked away by the sleep spell he had cast on me.

"You're still treating me as one of your pups," I whispered against his hair. "You didn't need to put me to sleep."

"I needed to do something," he murmured as he opened his eyes. "Neither of us was getting much rest. And it wasn't a sleep spell. It was your spell. The harmonizing one."

"But I didn't see any memories," I said.

"I didn't need any. There are no better memories than the ones we're creating right now. There are a few that are just as nice, of course. But I didn't need either of us to be reminded of what we have. I just needed us to *feel* what we have. Each other."

As I listened to his words, I ran a hand over his arm. I watched as his limb blushed a light red, indicating that his magic reached out to mine. I shivered, but not in fear. Arousal strong enough to challenge my teenage self spiked through me.

"You bonded us, just like the wolves," I accused softly.

"Mmhmm," Remus murmured with a smile. "But you have only yourself to blame. It's not my fault that you created a bonding spell. I just knew that tugging on that magic a little can keep nightmares away for a couple hours."

Then he ran his hand down my neck gently. "I'd like to put it to another use, if you're up to it. We both could use a bit of pleasure after that much pain."

I leaned into him, whispering my lips against his brow in answer. I found myself afraid to speak, as if it would wake me from a pleasant dream.

Remus closed his eyes as he let out a soft hum. A moment later, our clothes were gone, having been vanished to the rocker in the corner.

I took that as permission to touch him. My hand trembled as I let it card through the hairs on his chest, letting the softness and warmth overwhelm my senses. He treated the touch as a treasured gift, by leaning into it, whispering for more.

Which I gave him, letting my hands wander more confidently over all of him that I could reach. I learned what made him sigh, what made him squirm and laugh, and what had him pulling me more tightly against him.

His kisses drugged me, leaving me with a haze of warmth and tingling pleasure until I came back to his lips to demand more.

My name became a mantra, a spell all its own, as his mouth caressed it right before his body wrapped around mine.

That touch was a benediction. Scars caressed skin too pale for sun. Nails that were cut short to restrain last night's claws scratched lightly over my too-thin form to bring forth a gasp, a moan. A pleasure summed up in one name. "Remus..."

A hand reached for the part of me that had been used for pleasure by others, but rarely by me. His touch eased the revulsion that came with being used, and replaced it with the heat of his magic.

But still he was the careful guide. The gentle warmth and heated friction shifted as his eyes met mine, watching for signs that meant he had given me what I wanted, what I didn't know I craved.

My hands could not mirror his, in their lingering fatigue. But that did not even make him pause in his quest to give. He simply encouraged my voice as my hands rested on his lower back. The voice that so many in the past had mocked, but that he said sent his magical resonance quivering all over his form. So I used it to make him shudder, to make him moan.

To make his body press against mine, creating caresses and friction that had us both panting within minutes. His hand turned the caresses into bliss, forcing me to cry out and clutch him. But something inside me was resisting, not letting the power made by our combined magic consume me.

Remus would not let my past win. He whispered in my ear, "It's ok, I have you. I love you."

"I--I" My voice caught. The feeling was within me. But the words wouldn't come out.

That attempt was enough to make the amber in his eyes shine. "I know."

A moment later, I gave myself up to the pleasure that was uniquely him. 


	25. Daryl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Bijou, for helping me tackle the courtroom so that it went from a mess to one big scheme ;)

I watched Father and the Prince come into the gathering room from the other side of it. At that moment, I was resting in the rocking chair that Dorian had ordered me into twenty minutes before so that he could make everyone dinner without worrying that I'd exhaust myself.

Dorian knew that I couldn't change the habits of twenty years overnight. So for the past few days, about once an hour, no matter if I was sorting through pack business or case files for the muggles, he'd prod me to rest, or he'd hug me to remind me that I didn't have to handle everything myself. Apparently, I taught him to be a Beta a little too well. But I accepted his concern. I knew I needed the rest.

In the last few days, our Alphas had sought their own respite. Nobody except Severus's two apprentices and Laura and Dorian had seen them. With good reason, as Ted told me rather emphatically.

\---"Dad and Severus forgot to close the door to Severus's office yesterday when Dad came by to talk to him," Ted had grumbled when he had come to the community house to grab something for lunch. "Of course, they were doing more than talking. So I ended up learning more than I wanted to about both of them. Until the door slammed in my face."

Michael had just rolled his eyes as he took the plate Dorian handed him. "At least Father shut the door when he saw you. Ned and Jaro are worse. They don't bother with privacy. Yesterday, I caught them snogging in the gathering room."

I just laughed. "I seem to remember Bill accusing you of such things a few years ago, Ted. Michael, Ned thinks you need to get laid. I heard him say so. He's just demonstrating for you."

A moment later, two wads of paper hit me. It was all they were allowed to do to me, because everyone had been told by Laura that I was not to be hexed for at least two months.---

So I watched the men who once again changed my world. Although I had worried when I had watched them in Severus's shop months ago, this time I had a smile on my face. 

Severus still looked nervous, but the sneer was gone. He clutched Father's hand as if it was grounding him. It probably was. I knew I had done the same with Allie more than once in the past few days, just to convince myself that I wasn't dreaming that she was with me.

But it was the change in Remus's face that astounded me. Because Remus looked content. We had watched him through a myriad of emotions, both good and bad, throughout the past twenty years. But underneath it there had always been a nervous energy, not that different from Severus's or even the one that had driven me for too long. That had faded to something gentler, something that was easier to handle. You could see the confidence his experience had given him now. And his concern for all of us just surrounded him, giving us reason to work together. 

Remus had learned to face his fears. I didn't realize that until my worst fear came crashing down upon me. We saw him struggle because he knew he needed to be there with us and for us. The struggle made him stronger. And now he made it safe for Severus to do the same. That was why the sneer was gone. The Prince needed it less here. Nobody here would look down on him for not succeeding immediately.

Both Alphas were hugged before they came across the room to check on me. By Jaro, by Allie, by Victoire, even by Molly. And I was sure that wouldn't be the end of it, not even after I embraced them. We had all learned a lesson over the past few weeks. The magic that bound us, the one even the muggles possessed, needed to be nurtured. 

And I learned how lucky I was to have found a Father, and now a stepfather. Because Alphas exiled. Fathers forgave.

So I accepted Remus's fussing and Severus's bottle of pain potion without argument. And I gave in return. Gentle reminders to check in everyday, and to complete all the bonds with the pack members.

By the time Dorian served the food, the affection that I thought was best saved for the others was showered on me. And I learned that tears were not reserved for sorrows.

====

The mood of the weekend dinner was joyous and accepting. There was laughter, there were jokes. Hexes flew in corners as the mischievous ones tried to pick on each other without hitting any of the heads of the pack, or those who needed more time to recover from our crisis.

After dessert, Severus was showered with gifts under Remus's watchful eye. From the little, presented by Kyle and Albert, who offered to open the shop every Thursday, so Severus could sleep in with Remus. To the respectful. Ned and Bill had talked to everyone good at charms and ready-made spells to find ones that could help with his potion making, because we all knew even the best apprentices needed time to learn. Some of the rescued wolves then offered to paint the shop. Whomever did it last had left nasty messages in the paint that Severus had covered up, creating a mismatch.

To the somewhat outrageous. Jaro and Ricky had apparently consulted with George Weasley, because they offered Severus a huge box of handkerchiefs in every color and design they could think of, both wizard and muggle. I even caught a glimpse of one holding the picture Michael took of Remus diving into the lake in Wales, from our family vacation two summers ago. That one disappeared into Severus's robe pocket before Father could snatch it away.

I had not considered a gift to our rescuer because quite simply, I didn't think there was anything I could give Severus that could adequately show my appreciation for the risks he undertook to keep the pack safe, and to save my life.

But then Michael handed me a parchment that had just come from the Ministry. And I knew my best gift to Severus would be to do what I do best. Argue.

So I nodded to Michael, who called for quiet. Then I carefully walked onto the table in front of me, with Ned at my back, to catch me if I stumbled. When I had everyone's attention, I announced, "Father, I have to break my promise to you. I can't rest at the moment. Cara Drees has appealed to the Wizengamot, saying that she was wrongly jailed, and that Severus was actually the one trying to steal her pack."

I paused as the gasps went around the room, then I looked straight at the Prince. "We don't stand for lies in this family. Please, Severus, let me be there for you now. I wish to defend you. But I will not do it alone. I will ask Allie to be my partner in this. I will accept help from anyone who asks. I promise to let others take care of me when Cara is finally silenced. But let me take care of you now. Because I agree with Father. It's time to end your suffering. And that bitch just gave us a way to do it."

Severus's hands trembled. But he nodded firmly. "I expect that you will not exhaust yourself, because help will be by your side."

I agreed to his condition, then snapped to Harry, "Appeal to the Wizengamot so Grady can examine the Veritaserum for flaws. Since our potions master won't be allowed to make it, somebody has to check that it's not substandard. And tell Kingsley to stay away from the pack, just until this is over. He needs to make sure this is a fair trial. He can't do that if people think Severus is biasing him."

Harry nodded as he helped me down from the table. "I'll find a way to assign impartial Aurors to watch over the proceedings. Merlin knows I can't be impartial at this point." He looked over at Severus worriedly.

I squeezed Harry's shoulder. "You can also keep Ron from screaming when I steal his wife for the next week."

As everyone calmed down, I sat on a chair to gather the Beta group around me. I looked to Laura and Neville, who were solemn and ready to fight. "You're in charge of keeping the Alphas safe." Then to Dorian and Ted, who were bolstering each other with linked arms. "Help them watch over the pack."

They all nodded sincerely. At that moment, I knew my pack would be safe until I could find a way to defeat our enemy with words.

I turned back to Harry. "You have been Severus's defender the longest. I need your help, as well as Hermione's."

Harry just smiled before heading to the floo to contact Hermione.

Then I turned to my wife. I struggled for air for a moment, not only because I was taking on something much bigger than myself, but also because I had a new, and somewhat overwhelming, appreciation for Allie's presence. But when I could finally speak, I told her, "After all the mistakes I've made lately, I'm afraid to ask. But I need you by my side. I need you to help me with this. I don't want that woman to suck me in again. The only way I know how to keep that from happening is to keep a tight grip on your hand."

Allie's kiss let me breathe again. "Of course I will help you. That awful woman will not get a second shot at our family."

I then had everyone I needed to begin our battle. So I walked over to Remus and Severus, and hugged them both. "This process will not be nice. This time *I* will need to invade your privacy. But I promise to use what I find to put Cara's challenge to rest."

"Do what you need to. No matter what the outcome, I appreciate what you're doing for us," Father said as he kissed my brow.

Severus stayed silent. But his finger traced my newest scar, from the wound that I accidentally received to my left temple when Harry had scrambled to get me into Severus's arms on that awful night. 

"I wear that one with pride," I whispered to him. "Because it means I'm one of your fools."

Severus smiled softly. I smiled back, then gathered my defenders and went into my office to draw up a battle plan. We needed to ensure that Severus won the war against him.

====

Allie, I and our helpers had to work quickly. We only had a week to get our argument together, and to help Severus prepare. But unlike many of the muggle cases Allie and I had presided over, we had no trouble getting information or items from people.

Everyone connected to the pack was interviewed about what had happened when Cara Drees arrived at the community house. Faculty at Hogwarts were consulted concerning Severus.

Then we braced ourselves and talked to the other side of the argument. Past Hogwarts students, people in Diagon Alley. Those who complained about Severus to the Prophet or the Quibbler. We needed to know exactly what we were up against.

Then we searched Severus's house on Spinner's End for anything that would help us defend him. We didn't find much. It was just the remnants of the lonely man he had been.

But when we chased the Alphas out of the house in Hogsmeade for a night (with a suggestion that Father let Severus explore the cottage before it held a hundred partying people), we got a shock. Remus had been hiding a secret. Even more surprisingly, it was a secret we could use. So we took the object and letter that we believed was connected with it and went back to Hogwarts. Because we needed to know if the Headmistress could confirm the conclusion that we came to.

Let it be said that Minerva McGonagall, in private at least, can drop the prim and proper facade. She not only confirmed Remus was hiding a former lover, but she also had a letter that proved Severus knew about it. The astonishment on Ted's face when he listened to her was most likely a good thing. Every child needs to remember that their parents are fallible, after all.

The last thing I did was call everyone to the community center to presumably have their pack charms inspected by me and Harry. It was to insure that no stray magic was lurking when we encountered Cara in the Wizengamot's chamber, we said.

It's a good thing both Harry and I had practiced wandless and speechless magic or we would have been caught before our scheme was ready.

====

On the day of the trial, we all gathered at the community house for breakfast. The Wizengamot, in a rare show of sympathy for anyone, agreed to hold the trial on a Saturday. It was also possible the Headmistress of Hogwarts put pressure on them. Because of course, two of the school's favorite professors would require time off if it was held on a weekday.

Their capitulation meant that there would be forty-five of us surrounding Severus in their chambers. This was a trial concerning the pack. The pack was going to be there.

But since most of the group would not be able to say their piece (as the Wizengamot almost always demanded short presentations by both sides), they did so while we made our final preparations. Severus was hugged, patted, whispered to, bowed to, and presented with a few more gifts as I wrote up my final notes, gathered Allie's, and converted them so that we both could read all of them.

Remus was practically glued to Severus's side, but he seemed calm. I hoped he would remain calm when I revealed his secret to the collective court. 

I was nervous. But Allie's constant presence and Harry's pats on my shoulder reminded me that I wasn't alone in this. This defense was not about my performance. It was about proving Severus was a good man and telling everyone that he was *our* good man. And that we would defend him with all we had.

We left the community house and filtered into the Wizengamot's chamber. I smiled at Michael as the clerks were forced to expand the room three times to hold all of us. Our presence was making a statement.

I could see that it angered Cara Drees. She was fuming as she watched the family sit in the seats behind Severus's table. She had a group of ten behind her, and most were not her pack. I could see one or two shop owners from Diagon Alley behind her, and a few older witches that I recognized from somewhere, though I couldn't remember where.

After that quick look around, I turned my attention to the final preparations Allie had made. As Harry and I had done the interviewing and the searching, Allie and Hermione had written our statements and helped Severus prepare. 

So our Prince was calm when Cara presented her case. She told a story about how the pack had been weakened by Severus's presence. She had tricked us into rescuing her so she could save us. But she had been thwarted by Severus's strong dark magic. He had made Remus and the rest of us dependent on him.  He had used dark magic to even fool the muggles among us. The poor poor muggles. They didn't deserve to be tricked that way.

Allie almost squeezed my hand off when Cara made that last statement.

I squeezed back, hard. If that string of lies could come out of Cara when she was dosed on Veritaserum, our job just became a lot harder. Because the truth was not as pretty as the story she told.

Cara called on her pack members to make statements about our pack's apparent weakness under Severus's hand. Then a few of the wizards told about the strangeness of Severus's shop and how he so rarely talked to the other merchants in Diagon Alley. His solitude was considered unusual and frightening. Even his tendency to wear black was considered a flaw. His actions were all signs of darkness. Because hadn't Voldemort done these same things? 

I held my breath as the merchants spouted their prejudices. I worried that the council had been influenced by the same ideas long ago, but the Wizengamot was mostly silent. They asked only a few questions of Cara and her witnesses. They seemed unconvinced. I even saw one wizard on the council shake his head as the third pack member mentioned Remus's weakness around Severus.

Once Cara's statement was finished, the council paused for fifteen minutes to confer amongst themselves. This was when the Minister of Magic entered the room. He stayed on the side, not near either pack, but near the door, to lean against the wall length window that was used by reporters who couldn't be allowed in the chamber. He didn't meet my eye or even look at Severus. But I knew Kingsley was there to support us. 

I watched him for a moment, wondering why he had waited to make an appearance. But I had to turn away, because the council came back into the room. It was our turn to present our case.

After Allie's prompting, Severus stood up, and made his statement. "I did not seek to manipulate the people behind me. Constellation pack sought me out. Remus Lupin sought me out. Because they are generous people. They knew of the troubles the wars had left me with and sought to ease them. I don't know why their favors to me began. But they were not at my request, and they started long before Ms. Drees made herself known to any of us. In fact, I became an unofficial part of the group because Professor Lupin doesn't understand the word 'No' when it comes out of my mouth."

Remus and the rest of the pack chuckled behind us. Even the stern faces of the Wizengamot softened a little.

Severus closed his eyes as his face shifted with his emotions. "I could not say no to him, actually. Their kindness, Remus's kindness, pulled me in. I found myself helping the pack, with Wolfsbane, and with some of their other issues almost automatically. It was as if I had always belonged there. That feeling didn't change as I helped them remain together after Ms. Drees nearly tore them apart, or fought for Daryl Richards' life. Oddly, the feeling was still within me when I ran because I feared the rejection was coming from him, as it had from many others. I had had so much rejection in the past that I didn't know how to trust other people. Remus wouldn't let me run, because rejection was the exact opposite of what he wanted to give me. I belong to the pack. Not because I insinuated myself into their group. But because they want me, despite my flaws, despite my past."

"Because of your past, dear Prince," I announced to the room after a few moments of silence. "We know that the crisis we suffered two weeks ago was NOT the first time you tried to bring harmony to the pack. But let me start by telling our side of the story that Ms. Drees gave us."

So I told the story of the discordant magic in the community house and the events that led to its elimination. I kept it short, as the council preferred. But I showed them the photographs of the wolf statues that Ricky had been wise enough to take with his phone. Allie encouraged Severus to speak of his fears for our pack when he found Laura infected by the magic. Dorian then stood up and spoke of Severus's kindness and humility when the pack dragged him to Malfoy Manor to care for Ned. Allie discussed the fight for my life with tears streaming down her cheeks. But her voice never wavered.

Then Remus spoke. "Yes, Severus took my pack away from me without my consent. But he never wanted to keep it. His intention was to give the pack back to me immediately after the discordant magic was gone. *We* were the ones to make Severus an Alpha permanently. The pack demanded it, because he accepted and understood us. I agreed with their decision. Because we find him attractive, in many ways. He is exactly the type of person we want to help us grow. One who is smart, understanding, aware of his faults, but not afraid to use his strengths. And above all, he is willing to break the rules to help those in need.

"Ms. Drees is just a pretty face who wants to steal what we worked so hard to get. Acceptance. The very thing we've been trying to give Severus for years, because none of you will." He looked straight at the merchants behind Cara. They cringed. Remus smiled at me mischievously, then sat down.

"Severus understood how important acceptance was to packs even before I was born," I said as I stood up and held up the object that I had found in Remus's bedroom. It was the potion ball that Ted had found near the Shrieking Shack five years ago. In my other hand, I held up a letter. I let a clerk wave his wand over them so that all could see them. "Father, forgive me for invading your privacy to take these objects, but it was necessary."

I felt a small gentle pressure on my brow, even though Remus was not near me. I smiled at his acceptance, then continued, "We are the children of Remus Lupin. Therefore, we are the children of the Marauders, his original pack. Our group would not exist if its three human members had not had compassion for Remus. We know that they loved him. One of them, for a time, even showed that love in a secret relationship. Marlene McKinnon was not the first person to know Remus intimately. James Potter was."

"What does this have to do with your pack now?" One of the council asked.

"It is relevant because in this ball is the spell that helped Severus fight Cara Drees' forceful takeover of the pack. As a youth, Severus Snape was creative, in a practical way. He invented potions and brewing techniques that would make his life easier. He created a spell to keep the Marauders from harassing him. But when he saw a teenage werewolf brought low because the Alpha he loved was falling in love with another, Severus created a spell for that werewolf."

I held up the parchment I had gotten from the Headmistress. "This was found on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Minerva McGonagall picked it up and kept it because she feared that one of the Hogwarts students was suicidal. It is folded into a pocket and says 'Use this potion to keep your friend calm. I know you have high regard for him. But the rejection I saw you give him in the Astronomy Tower could cause problems he cannot control.' It is signed 'The Prince.'"

I turned the ball so the 'HBP' was visible. "Severus knew that the Marauders' unity was already strained because of Sirius Black's use of Remus's wolf to scare Severus. He had most likely read in the books he collected from the library on werewolves that rejection by an Alpha can be devastating. Often, it results in an attack on the Alpha, or the rejected one fleeing. By this time, Severus was beginning to care for Remus. So he created the ball to house a harmonizing spell to calm the Marauders, and a sedative potion in case the wolf didn't respond to the spell."

I asked the clerk to use a Revelio on the ball. When he did, he said, "At first, the name of the spell didn't reveal itself. But now it says 'Expecto Familia'."

I nodded. "That is the spell that Severus used to save my life. The spell, contained in the potion ball, is the reason he did not respond to the magic invading the community house. Because it was sitting in Remus's house, helping both of them fight the magic in Cara's statues. But Cara used Severus's fear of rejection to scare him. He ran to Malfoy Manor, while Remus began to stay at Hogwarts. Without the ball to help him fight the magic, Remus became infected when he checked on us at the community house. But it wasn't a strong infection. So Harry Potter was able to help him fight it."

I stepped around the table and closer to the council. "I have here a letter from James Potter to Remus, sent the summer after their affair. Most of it deals with an argument they were having about Sirius Black, so I won't bore you with that. But at the end of it, James said, 'I am sorry that I could not love you the way you should be loved. I hope you find your Prince. But know that you will always be one of us. You will always be a Marauder.'" 

I waved my hand at Severus, indicating that the Prince was found. Then I turned towards Remus. "You taught us to be like you. You made us Marauders."

He smiled. "I did."

I turned towards Severus. "You helped us remain Marauders."

For the moment, I ignored Severus's puzzled face as I turned back to the Wizengamot and said in a loud voice, "I am not part of Cara's pack, I am a Marauder. In fact, I am one of the Prince's Marauders. I solemnly swear!"

I moved so the Wizengamot could see my pack charm as the spell I used earlier reconfigured it. Now the words 'The Prince's Marauders' hugged the top of the oval. Then my Scorpius constellation shrunk slightly to fit 'Dare,' the nickname Jaro had given me, on the bottom of the oval.

Once the clerk waved his wand so everyone could see it, I snuck a look in Remus's direction. I breathed a sigh of relief when he started laughing, then said, "I solemnly swear we are up to no good." Everyone watched as his pack charm reconfigured with the new name of the pack, and 'Moony' appeared at the bottom of his constellation.

Chaos then broke out as the pack figured out that the first three words to activate the Marauder's Map would also activate the change in their pack charms. There was some chuckling as they discovered the nicknames Allie had chosen for each of them. Laura, was of course, Precious. Neville, predictably, was the Sword.

Since my wife had had to make the list quickly, some just had their name or normal nickname (which could be changed later, if they wished). But when I saw that Ned's charm said 'the Prince Herder', I knew I had to ask Father to make Allie an official member very soon. She was definitely one of us.

Once the pack settled down, I turned to Severus and saw that his charm had not changed. So I gently touched his necklace and said, "You are loved by us. You are one of us. I solemnly swear."

A moment later, his charm reconfigured to show the Shield constellation, with the name 'Moony's Prince' below it.

Then the Wizengamot declared the trial over, as it was obvious we were the devious ones, not Severus. They were satisfied that we had the leader we wanted. Kingsley then announced that the council could do nothing for the prejudice that we'd need to defend him against, but they suspected the pack's name change would help immensely.

Remus scoffed softly. "I'll make sure everyone remembers who defends Severus. Kingsley, move away from that window." 

As soon as the Minister moved enough to give the reporters a good view, Remus grabbed Severus and kissed him. We watched as the two men melded into each other, now that they were finally free to seek a future together.

They pulled back moments later with twin blushes. But none of us were concerned by their display. Just the opposite. I heard Jaro ask Michael how much they'd have to bribe the reporters for a copy of the picture, so they could give it to the couple for Christmas.

We began heading out of the chamber room when suddenly, I saw Allie move away from Maya, who was guiding her. Then she grabbed somebody by the arm and pulled them out of the crowd.

I watched, astonished, as my wife hurled Cara Drees at the window next to the chamber door, then amazingly, through it. "Stay away from my husband and his fathers, or I swear you will regret it!" she yelled. Everybody jumped as the glass shattered. But a moment later, Ricky and Laura were checking Allie for wounds (she had none), and a few clerks forcefully removed Cara Drees and sent her back to Azkaban.

Father came up to me calmly as he tucked his wand back under his shirt. In a loud whisper, he told me, "I think Allie's pack charm should say 'the Advocate'."

I laughed all the way to the community house.


	26. Severus

Acceptance had been foreign to me for so many years, that when I finally had it, it actually worried me. I did not know how to not to fear rejection, because it had followed me for so long.

Immediately after the trial, Remus gave me an office in the community house. I used it to handle the paperwork I was now partially responsible for. Surprisingly, there was enough of it to have me there every morning before I opened the shop. I went through it diligently, as some of it still referred to the custody of Trevor and Kyle. Remus also wanted me to edit an article he was writing for the Daily Prophet. So I spent the early mornings in the space I was given, but I kept the door shut. Without a crisis to motivate me to be with others, I hid. My fear of what would happen if I opened the door was nebulous. Remus and the others made very clear that my appearance and my difficulty socializing were not reasons for rejection in their eyes. Yet I found myself afraid to open my door to them.

Some of the pack seemed to understood my retreat. Because they went out of their way to help me by honoring the name they had inherited from James Potter. But they did it in a way that reflected Remus's teachings.

It started with Frederick leaving a small yellow note on my office door to tell me he was driving to St. Mungo's to pick up Laura, and that she wanted to check my hands. Once I saw the note, I opened the door so they would see me when they returned.

The next day, there was a similar note from Dorian, asking me if he should bring lunch to the shop. Daryl then left one saying that he scheduled the next pack meeting for the following week. Each time I saw a note, I left the door open for a short period of time to talk to the person who left it.

Our Marauders were nothing if not observant.

The next day, I began to receive unsigned notes on the door, that said "Hi!" or "Have a good day". Curious as to who would leave those, I'd open the door to attempt to discover the person. Invariably, someone, sometimes the note writer, and sometimes not, would come in to say hello, tell me the latest gossip, or inform me of when Remus planned to come to the community house.

Albert and the Irish twins were the culprits in those simple greeting notes, but when I found a set of multicolored notes in the shape of a heart on my door the next day, I knew the mischief was spreading.

After that, I began to find all manner of notes on my door, including a set telling a short story complete with moving pictures, origami birds and dragons charmed to say greetings, and one from Nathaniel in green with small white bells that chimed softly, asking if Remus and I had set a wedding date yet.

I realized that they left the notes so that I would open the door when I was in the office. That, unlike the children I taught at Hogwarts, these people wanted my attention.

So I began to leave replies on my door for them before I left to go elsewhere.

I corrected the spelling on the short story. I left a note of thanks for the origami, which found a place of prominence on my desk. I replied to Nathaniel that patience was a virtue, and that he would need some if he did not want to be known as 'the Prince's Annoyance'.

The next day, there were thirty more messages on my door of all types. Every one of them was meant to show the owner's acceptance of me, including Nathaniel's reply that he needed to know when to travel to America to buy chocolates shaped like potion bottles.

Remus chuckled as I stared at the door in shock. "What did you expect from them? The days after I taught the magical children to cast a Patronus, I'd find one practically everywhere I walked outside the cottage, usually just to say hello. And if I was near the cottage, I was hit repeatedly by paper airplanes with notes from Maya and Jaro. The pack knows what loneliness is like. They'll give you space when you want it, but they'll also remind you they're near when you don't."

Those reminders began to wear away at the seclusion I had forced upon myself so I could avoid rejection. Although I would never be as social as most of them, I made attempts at it. I replied to all thirty messages on the door, some seriously, some with just a hint of mock-ire. And I began to open my door regularly for short periods.

The concessions seemed to satisfy them. Everyone who passed my open door would pause long enough to say hello, if they did not pull me into a conversation. The notes continued, but now a bit more sedately, as if the writers knew I understood that they were simply seeking my presence in some way. I found myself looking forward to their requests.

Remus often waited until we were at home to make his demands of my presence. He, even more than the others, understood that I needed time to myself. That sometimes other people were simply overwhelming. So after we ate dinner together, he would let me retreat to the basement, where I had stored potion journals and some experimental mixtures that I did not want in the shop.

After an hour or two, depending on his mood, he'd come down with a cup of tea for me. He would then question me about what I was engaged in. If I snapped at him, he'd retreat to a corner with the book he was invariably carrying. If I answered him, he'd ask more questions, or watch as I mixed ingredients. He never raised his voice, even if I did. And he never retreated back upstairs. He'd just move far enough away to be less overwhelming, then wait until I came to him to seek his attention.

It never failed.

It could take another hour, or it could take until I was ready for bed. But at some point, I would become annoyed with my brewing or my journals. Then I would walk over to him quietly and take his hand or lay mine on his arm.

My overture was always greeted with a soft smile, no matter how taciturn I had been earlier. He'd then put his book aside so that we could talk.

I would tell him of the problem of the day while he listened intently. Sometimes he'd offer advice, but I found it adequate if he simply sympathized or offered his own difficulties in return.

It had been so long since I had a confidante that it left me wondering at how little it took to calm my distress. I quickly realized that I also seemed to help his mood.

Once we were both calmer, we would walk upstairs together to my bedroom. Our talks would often lead to whispered discussions as we entwined our hands or bodies before sleep. In a few instances, they became the catalyst for seeking heated pleasure in each other. Especially when another person took to insulting my appearance. Because he would make clear that my appearance gave him pleasure by giving me pleasure in return.

Although I never had objections to his caresses, I began to notice hesitation in him when he sought to please me. He never hesitated to begin pleasing me, so even I realized that he was not lying about his want to do it. But he seemed to pause when I asked to learn more. For him to give me more. I didn't know what to make of it.

But he always gave to me, and we always ended up sated before we went to sleep, so I didn't bother questioning him about it.

====

The first evening of the new round of Wolfsbane, Laura approached Remus and me with her head bowed. So I checked that all the bottles had gone to everyone who needed one, then I turned to my daughter as Remus faced her with a puzzled look.

"Alphas, Teddy has requested that Ricky and I also marry at his ceremony. We have agreed." My precious one blushed lightly as she said this.

Remus smiled and took her hand. "We will have even more reason to celebrate then."

Laura looked delighted at his easy acceptance. Then she turned to me. "I lost my real family when I became a werewolf. But I would be honored if you stood in their place during the ceremony."

I enfolded the woman I called daughter in my arms as I considered what she had given me, and the couple that should have been there instead. "I would be honored if you tell me about them, so I may represent them as well as myself."

We talked into the night about Laura's parents. They had been good people who had sought to raise her with the dignity and caring she had always exuded in my presence. They had also defended her with their last breaths, killing the corrupt Alpha who had wanted her. Unfortunately this left the young teenager vulnerable to being fooled by the group that had imprisoned us.

With the story of her parents' last day, Laura gave me small details. Her mother had loved clothes in royal blue, and sang beautifully. Her father had worked under Arthur Weasley for a time, and had his interest in all things muggle. Oddly, he had not allowed chocolate in his house as he had hated it. Laura had had to visit friends to eat the sweet. His preferred confection had been black licorice.

So when Frederick coaxed Laura back to their flat, I went in search of Yvette Marin. She assured me that she could make a robe of royal blue with black braiding in plenty of time for the wedding. I let her gather measurements for the robe as Remus watched. Yvette then suggested silk for the main part of the robe. I shook my head, as that was an extravagance I couldn't afford.

Some of Remus's other children then came forth holding a few galleons each. I sighed. "Very well. But I will need it to be useful after the wedding. I will not allow your generosity for something I would only wear once."

Yvette assured me that she could alter it appropriately. Only then did I agree.

Right after I did, Remus kissed my temple. "We'll make a Marauder of you yet."

Of course glaring at him just made him laugh.


	27. Severus

Everyone was unsettled when the full moon came. The last month had been so fraught with tension that it seemed to carry over, even though the danger had passed. Or so we thought.

I truly believed I was the pack's most problematic member. I thought with my adjustment to their acceptance of me, the pack would then not have to worry about its other members.

But I forgot the reason the Death Eaters existed: Some people preferred to not adjust to change.

During the dinner, Remus and I circulated among the wolves, checking their general condition. The younger ones seemed excited, as if last month's events had been an adventure, instead of a threat to their lives. Remus's children were slightly wary, but took turns assuring each other that all was well.

But not everyone was easy to decipher. There seemed to be some odd whispering among the older group of rescued wolves, especially by a man named Harold White, who had been rescued by Daryl and Nathaniel during the chain event that resulted in Laura's retrieval from our prison.

When I mentioned the unrest to Remus, he shrugged. "I'm surprised he has stayed with us this long. Harold prefers to keep to himself much of the time, or complain about this or that. Everyone does their best to be friendly to him. But he responds even less to people than you did when we taught together. And he isn't under the stress that you were."

I nodded. I had noticed the similarities between White and myself. He was suspicious of others, as I was. But unlike me, he didn't respond to the pack's overtures of companionship. He did not attempt to use the resources, the people, around him. This worried me, because it reminded me of my teenage self. I had nearly sealed my fate with the actions I had taken at eighteen.

I:wanted to discourage anyone who was doing the same. But I thought it best to observe White and perhaps ask a few questions of Daryl and Nathaniel. I was more suspicious of people than Remus was. I didn't want that tendency to cause difficulties within the pack.

However, I was not alone in my consternation. After I turned away from White, Longbottom nodded to me. I nodded back, as I suspected we might be conversing after the moon rose.

We were unable to start that conversation before White made his move. Longbottom had just set up his chess set on the tree stump we had used two months before, when some of the wolves began whining and pressing their muzzles against the entrance barrier.

The wolves were requesting assistance. We stood and opened the entrance wide enough to slip inside. Laura and Jaro quickly pressed against my legs as Dorian pawed at Longbottom. So we looked for Edward to aid us in communicating. He and Remus were sitting between Daryl and White. Edward was in wolf form, sitting very straight. He seemed to be guarding Daryl. Remus was growling at White.

When Edward saw us, he shifted his form to human. "Harold's challenging Daryl," he said quietly. "Dad's refusing it."

This was unexpected. I took a deep breath as I wondered at the situation for a moment. Even Longbottom looked rather shocked. "I would have thought Harold would leave rather than challenge anyone. He doesn't seem to care about the pack."

"Similar to my lack of caring?" I asked quietly after casting a muffling spell to thwart the wolves' sensitive ears. Longbottom shook his head. "No ambiguous actions, nothing that could easily be misinterpreted. He just would often sit in a corner and mutter to himself. I wish Richard could have stayed here another week. He's better at understanding the strict pack mentality. But I know he can't neglect his own pack."

I sighed. "I believe Richard would suggest communicating, asking how the leadership has failed him. White let his discontent fester, which is something I have been guilty of. That and having only Lucius Malfoy pay any attention to my concerns are what drove me to Voldemort. But in a group such as this, White's inaction is counterproductive. There are plenty of people who will listen to concerns. I can't understand how he hasn't realized that by now. We must try to make him understand, so that he doesn't repeat his mistake."

I dissolved the muffling spell and moved closer to the wolves. As the other Alpha, I knew I had to state my opinion, even though Daryl was Remus's Beta. So with Laura by my side, I went behind the Lupins and stroked Daryl's head where the challenging wolf could see.

Daryl was cowering, most likely upset about being 'trouble' so soon after our crisis. But this wasn't about the Beta, from what I could tell. It was about White getting his way.

I had seen similar behavior to White's in the Death Eaters. It was as if there was a constant state of comeuppance among them that reemerged every time Riddle's back was turned.

Remus didn't need that. The pack didn't need that.

So, mindful that White would most likely not make an attempt to reply to me (it was expected that the wolves in charge would communicate with the humans, therefore the others didn't have much practice at gesturing), I sat down on the ground to speak with White.

I took a deep breath. I didn't know why he was challenging Daryl. It couldn't be from accepting a new Alpha, not after all this time. But I knew that White had to realize his actions spoke volumes. Whatever was causing him discontent was affecting all of us now. He needed to see that.

"If this was a bid for attention, it worked. If the pack had brushed off your concerns earlier, we are now listening. We will hold council on your grievance in the morning. But cease your challenge here. It will not succeed. Attempting to continue it will only cause the family to turn away from you." I said this softly as I watched Remus's eight other present children surround us. Laura came to lie at my feet, as was proper for a Beta.

I nodded to the Lupins' support of me, then turned back to White. "You have no reason to fear us. You act as if you came from a rigid pack, where those not in leadership positions often do not have a voice. This is not that type of pack. Everyone has a voice here. Remus has made the open meeting a regular way of understanding his people. But if I recall, you seem to avoid those meetings. You left during the reorganization discussion and were not in attendance at most dinners. If the number of people there bothered you, I understand. I have similar difficulties. But you would not have been turned away if you sought one of us the next day."

I stared at White until he stared back, then bowed his head for a short moment. He acknowledged me as leader, but only as much as he was required to. I looked to Longbottom and Edward for help. Longbottom shrugged. "That's more than we have gotten out of him." 

I was surprised when Daryl suddenly draped his muzzle across my legs in a show of solidarity or protectiveness. Then Remus laid next to me on the other side, his neck against the hand that pained me earlier, while his muzzle insinuated itself in front of Daryl's, protective of us both.

White seemed somewhat unimpressed until I snapped at him, "This is what you have missed in the years you've avoided everyone. Having someone ready to help. To listen, to counsel, to watch your back. You will be listened to if you wish to speak in the morning. But if you are looking to fight, you will be taking on at least a third of the pack."

"More like three-fourths. You can't see the wolves who came up behind you," Potter said as he walked in the entrance. "Sorry I'm late. Ginny just finished a game." He calmly came over to check on me, then stroked Daryl's back.

I could see that White realized he would not get the challenge he was looking for while facing the Man Who Defeated Voldemort, the Sword of Gryffindor, and the remaining original Marauder. Before I could say anything more, he slunk toward a tree in the back corner of the yard.

Potter then sat down and proceeded to upend my musings. "Have you been honing your intimidation skills again? I've never seen Mr. White so willing to listen before. Not that I'm complaining. He needs to listen. You also need your confidence back. It's been much too long since you've been allowed to have any."

Remus nuzzled my less painful hand, as if agreeing with Potter. 

I shook my head. "I was simply trying to avoid another crisis."

"You might have just delayed it. But I promise I'll have your back once he can speak again." Potter patted my knee. "I'll tell Allie everything is fine for now. Make sure you can move out of the way when the sun rises. Remus will have a fit if somebody scratches you during the transformation."

Remus raised his head to growl softly. The others shifted their muzzles down obediently. Longbottom chuckled. "Well, at least they won't be considered disobedient when they protect one of you anymore. Most likely the other will have told them to do it."

Potter nodded as he stood up to tell the other guardians what had gone on. "We'll be on the alert in the morning, so the wolves don't wear themselves out. I'm not too sure about Mr. White's intentions."

"Thank you," I said softly as I settled against Remus to rest.

I realized that it was dawn when the warmth surrounding me suddenly left. I opened my eyes as Edward grabbed my hand to help me move to the corner of the enclosure and allow the transformations room to happen correctly.

As they finished, I helped him gather the clothing from the chests and pass them out to their owners. I caressed Remus's cheek before handing him his clothes (which resulted in his kiss on my palm). Daryl stared up at me as my eyes raked his body quickly, looking for injuries that might have happened while I slept. He shook his head. "Ted and Maya didn't leave my side. Nor did White come out of the back of the yard." 

I nodded, relieved. I then went to Laura, who pulled me to her for a hug. "You did good, M'Lord," she whispered before letting me go to dress.

I smiled, then went to check on Albert and hand him his clothes. He and Kyle immediately asked me if White had hurt me. Nathaniel had not let the young ones near us, so they knew only some of last night's events. When I assured them that I was fine, they complained that they should be allowed to defend me. "Alpha Remus's family doesn't know all the dangers out there," Albert said worriedly.

I promised that I would talk to Remus about it. But first, I needed to deliver White's clothes to him.

Albert, and then Nathaniel, who heard me, trailed after me as I headed to the back of the yard. I approached White with his clothes in front of me so that he knew why I was there. He looked at me with an ugly expression I recognized from my own repertoire. Assuming that it meant nothing good would come of any comment I made, I simply told him that we would be ready to listen to him right after breakfast was served.

He nodded, so I turned to walk into the meeting hall. As I did, I heard the word "Weak," come from his mouth with such derision that I knew he wasn't referring to his state after the transformation.

====

Breakfast was served quietly. I imagined Dorian was on alert for trouble, as all the leaders were. 

Once we all had food, White was invited to the front of the room by Potter, as he had said he wanted to speak to everyone, instead of just to the leaders. Potter cast an amplification spell, then stood back.

After a few seconds to gather himself, White said, "How can you call this a pack? Our leaders are the weakest bunch of wizards I have ever seen. They allow muggles among us. They refute challenges instead of letting strength take over. And the Death Eater among us has the gall to bow to the wishes of the weak ones. Ms. Drees just exposed this group as what it really is, a bunch of.."

I could hear the concerned murmurs all around me. They complemented the worried expression on Remus's face. It was obvious that White's words were just as much a threat to the harmony among us as Ms. Drees spells were. I could not let them continue.

"A family." I said loudly, before White could finish his sentence. "We have all been invited to join Remus Lupin's family. It started with a father mourning his wife and raising his child. Then he took in ten children who needed a proper father, rather than an abusive Alpha. Then he decided to ask all of you to become his sisters and brothers because he could offer you a better situation than the one you were in. He held nothing over your head. In fact, he has been the one obligated to you. He clothed you and housed you when you could not do it for yourselves. Then his children helped you find jobs to gain your independence and dignity. And even then, he did his best to protect you, because he knows how vulnerability can make the smallest problems rather frightening."

I took a deep breath, then continued, "It was the muggles who saved the leaders of this group from Ms. Drees. I can only lay claim to organizing their work. But they also had earned Remus's thanks beforehand for their efforts in a variety of things for the pack. Our differences gives us strength. Understanding those differences helps build character, something Remus has modeled for all of us. But you talk of physical strength, which is a poor measure of character. You will need to look elsewhere for development of that. If you want to belong to a group like Greyback's, where you are always one fist or hex from your demise, then you are welcome to do so. There are many out there, and they are easy to find. But do not argue that this pack should be something that it's not."

White gave me a glare that only Voldemort could copy, but I paid it no mind as Remus grabbed my hand. A moment later, the Betas closed in on us and started whispering behind a hastily cast spell. 

"We can't keep him here," came immediately from Daryl.

Dorian countered with, "Should we send him to Richard?"

Edward shook his head. "No, he might endanger that pack."

Remus sighed. "Just let him leave peacefully. But he could be a threat to others when he's gone. I will inform Kingsley of what happened here." Then he switched the spell to amplify his voice. "Harold, I give you your freedom to seek an Alpha more to your liking. But keep in mind that I will not allow you back unless you can accept everyone in the pack. So I hope you find what you're looking for."

White stormed out the front door seconds later. When Michael looked through a window and reported that he had apparated away, Remus turned to the rest of the group. "I have never explicitly given you a choice of whether you wanted to be part of my family. I just made it so because it was the easiest way to help start your recoveries. So let me ask you now. Is there anyone who needs me or Severus to dissolve the bond to go elsewhere?"

One young man held up his hand. "Do you know of any packs in Australia? My sister asked me to move there with her."

There was a smattering of relieved chuckling, as his request was much more benign than the last one. Remus pointed to Granger-Weasley. "She is a better resource on Australia than I am, Robbie."

Granger -Weasley immediately went to join the young man at his table so they could talk.

Then an older woman in her fifties stood up. I remembered Remus telling me that her name was Moira Xavier and that she was part of the first group that had been rescued. She faced us nervously, but her voice was strong as she said, "Alphas, we thank you for all that you have done for us. But if I may ask, many of us would like representation in the group of leaders. We know that your children were technically rescues, as we were. But they were allowed to grow up in your presence to learn your ways." She nodded toward Remus. "Some of us were not, and found the adjustment hard. Some still have difficulty. We did not tell you about Harold's state of mind because the traditional Alpha role is hard to forget, where such complaints would be seen as a sign of weakness. If we had someone who understood us as a lieutenant, it would be easier to speak up."

Remus nodded. "Then it will be done. Would you take that role for the group, Moira? As Lia's tea companion, you most likely know more about us than I do. And you are already vital to helping the rescued people adjust with the kits you make for them. Can I ask you to do this as well?"

Moira nodded. Nathaniel and Jaro sat down with her immediately to begin the process of helping everyone be heard.

Then Dorian waved his wand to warm the food once again so we all could eat. The food tasted better than I expected, even given his expertise. Or perhaps it was the taste of relief that coated my tongue. Relief that I was no longer the man I had seen reflected in White's eyes.


	28. Severus

June's warmth was welcome to all of us. It encouraged the anticipation of the event at the end of the month, and reminded us that Remus was now free to be among us for much of his day.

He spent much of his time at the community center helping the two couples make final preparations for the ceremony. But he made a point to come to the shop to eat lunch with me. Edward would come with him. I had given the younger Lupin time off in the mornings to see to his preparations, but he was well aware that Albert needed help taking potion orders. So the noble young man came in early to help his friend.

The young werewolf was learning quickly, however. I expected him to be proficient by the start of the next Hogwarts term.

Remus and I spent most of our time talking about events of the day during our lunches. However, sometimes the conversation turned more personal. This was quite enjoyable as we became more proficient in understanding the other's opinion. Remus confessed to enjoying the sight of me in the robe Yvette had made for me. I, on the other hand, told Remus that he should have Yvette measure him and alter the one Molly had made for him. The color was impressive. The cut was more suited to Arthur's broader form, and was less flattering on my partner.

"And if I'd rather have you take the measurements?" Remus asked mischievously.

"I will only check her measurements, or the alterations will never be done. You are entirely too good at distracting me," I said with mock disdain.

Remus leaned over the small table for a kiss that reminded me of the distractions I most enjoyed. But even as I grew warm with pleasure, I worried at the hesitation he still exhibited when we took pleasure in each other. By a teenager's definition, we had not had sex up to this point. There had been no penetration. At first, I had believed his omission had been for my sake, that he did not want to remind me of my pleasureless past experiences. However, as time went on and I became more comfortable with his physicality (as his desire for touch was even stronger than what deprivation had driven me to), I wondered at his motives. I began to worry that he had been hurt by someone sexually. But I did not know how to broach the subject to ask him.

So I decided that I was content with what he gave me. But I still worried. I didn't want to cause him distress. I had myself in a circle, worry without being able to ease my mind, or his problem.

It was maddening, but I didn't believe the issue could be resolved at that moment. I promised myself that I'd find a solution after the weddings.

====

The full moon was calm, finally. Yet I still I ended up inside the enclosure that night. I couldn't stay with the guardians when Remus began to pace by the entrance. The pacing bothered Jaro, who began to whine. This caused Nathaniel to whine. Which caused Michael to press his nose against the entrance, and Edward to sigh and suggest I rest with their father. 

Bothered by the signs of distress, I agreed.

As soon as I came into the enclosure, the whining ceased. I sighed as I ran my hand over Remus's head. "I suppose I must make a tent so I can join you in inclement weather."

Remus just rubbed his neck against my hand before prodding me to his favorite space in the back. After Edward sent me a pillow and a light blanket, I laid next to him and let him burrow his snout against my neck. 

I had no fear of the wolves left. Not of the Moonchild, not of Daryl, who I saw near the lilac bush out of the corner of my eye. Certainly not of Laura, who had figured out a way to snap off a collection of flowers from the bush. A moment later, she laid them at my back.

I reached behind me to run a hand over her tawny head. "Thank you, Precious. Now get some sleep. The exodus to the cottage begins tomorrow afternoon."

Laura laid her muzzle on my shoulder for a moment, then did as I bid.

Satisfied, I turned back to Remus and buried my hands in his fur so that we could rest as well.

====

The next morning's breakfast was somewhat rushed. The humans, led by me, had taken the responsibility of moving everyone and everything needed to Remus's cottage. The wolves would sleep until the afternoon. Longbottom and Dorian had gone before the moon to set up sleep areas for the wolves outside, as the weather was mild.

So I led Remus and the other canines through the floo and made sure they were settled in the soft grass near the house while Potter and the Weasleys used portkeys to transport the tent and the various furniture and decorations to the property. 

I cast a muffling spell to keep the sounds of the preparations from waking the wolves right before Longbottom came over and held out a tube of sun salve to me. I raised my eyebrow at him. "I have some in Remus's bedroom."

"Daryl insisted that a few of us carry it too. Nobody wants a sunburn to ruin this for you." Longbottom nodded as he watched me rub the salve into my exposed skin. "If you need any more, all the Betas have tubes, plus Al and Moira."

"I believe Remus also has one in his pants pocket." I had wondered at the bulge in the loose pants as he slept. I imagined it was due to a good dream. But his consideration for me warmed me in a similar way to how my previous thought had.

Longbottom chuckled as he saw the pink in my cheeks. "I wouldn't doubt it. Have a drink and rest for a few minutes. We will need your help with the tent once Arthur gets here."

I nodded. "Have the group lay out the spokes so we know how far we are extending it."

"Harry and Victoire are on it. Ginny's checking the layout from her broom. I thought I saw Scorpius and Draco helping her with it."

I handed the salve back to him. "See to it that the Malfoys are given the salve as well. Draco burns faster than I do."

"I'll let Harry know." Longbottom wandered back to the tent area while I found some water then went to join him.

Erecting the tent set the mood for the celebration. It took effort, but there was coordination. In fact, many of the wolves left their rest area to help. When the effort was rewarded and the tent was in place, a loud cheer went up. 

As people started on the other tasks, I could see Remus on the edge of the tent opposite mine. He was talking to a delicate looking blonde woman. I had only a moment to wonder who it was when he nodded to the woman, and she ran through the tent straight at me. "M'Lord!" She yelled before she wrapped her arms around me.

"Hello, Mona," I whispered softly as I held her close. Then I took a half step back to examine her face. The knife scars marring her face had faded somewhat since I saw her last. She also looked happy. That made me smile.

Mona smiled in return. "You've been the gossip of the Daily Prophet since that Wizengamot fiasco. I'm glad Professor Lupin has been taking good care of you. You look so much better than the last time I spoke with you."

Just then, Laura and Frederick came over to embrace us both. I could see Remus smile at us approvingly from his position next to Edward across the tent. So I let my 'people' lead me away so we could talk.

The first exchange of vows, Edward and Victoire, took place as the sun began to set. As was fitting. Edward said that the sunset reminded him of what he had seen of his mother's hair.

Remus stood behind his son right outside the tent, in the setting sun. He was holding a pink carnation while he stood gracefully in an amber robe trimmed in a glossy black, which had been added after I originally saw the robe. I wondered why the trim was black until a lock of my own hair fell across my eye. Then I smiled as I realized what the trim meant.

Edward had a coat of many colors with turquoise pants. His hair, for once, mirrored what his father's had been in his youth. His bride's gown was white, but with a shawl of Weasley red. Between them was a bouquet of flowers that seemed to combine the colors that they both wore.

Kingsley Shacklebolt stood behind the bouquet and proudly spoke of the couple in front of us and of the union they were completing.

The couple's vows reflected the combination of the flowers. Edward spoke of Victoire giving changes within him meaning, of bringing warmth to the cold colors that sometimes made him melancholy. And of taming the riot of colors that happened often within him.

Victoire talked of Edward teaching her to not be afraid of change, and that family was many things (but most of all love).

Rings of gold were exchanged, as well as vows to stay by each other's side. After a few more words, Kingsley declared them married.

They kissed, then sat to one side with their parents to let the other couple have their time.

The dusk was the time Laura and Frederick chose. 

I could see the tears in Laura's eyes as she finally saw the robe I was wearing. I smiled as I offered my arm to her, which she took without hesitation. She was truly beautiful in her gown of silver. Frederick was stately in his matching suit. Oddly enough, his mother's dress seemed to echo my robe. 

As Laura began to speak, I understood why.

"The night saved us," she said. "The moon saved us. We began to love each other in the most horrid of places. But the moon and the guiding hands of our family-to-be set us free to make sure that love continued. The more I knew of Ricky, the more I loved him. He became the music in my heart."

Frederick smiled at Laura. "Music surrounded me, but I had only one melody who believed in me." He looked at his mother, who nodded. "I found others in that awful place. Nights of whispered hopes gave me strength to find my music. Then when I found the girl who had looked up to me again, I found a strength in her that helped mine. She became my rock."

Kingsley once again invoked Merlin's words to bond the two who I called mine. I found myself reaching into my pocket to use the handkerchief I had thought Remus would need. I heard sighs and a faint, but very familiar chuckle as I did.

Because the couple could not wear rings of silver, they chose white gold to remind both of them of the night that set them free to be with each other.

Once they too kissed, Kingsley presented both couples, who met and embraced in the center of the tent. A cheer went up among their friends and family.

I assumed the party would begin then, but before I could move out of the way to allow it, the ceiling of the tent began to fill with what looked like black origami birds with silver eyes.

Then all was quiet as Remus suddenly took my hand and pulled me to the center of the tent.

"I know that the night hides jewels. The darkness sometimes obscures the stars." Remus caught my eye and pointed up as the paper birds showed their silver eyes. "I've had a bit of practice finding stars. I found all of you, my family."

The birds shifted so that I could just make out a sheen in the middle of a completely dark space above our heads. "But I found, quite by accident, that not all jewels shine light. One of them absorbs light and uses it to create warmth and harmony. But I could only see it when I let it have my light."

A ring of amber paper surrounded the black disk that had created the sheen. "Onyx is fit for a Prince, I believe." Remus smiled at me. "But it is delicate on its own, as we all are. I have been lucky enough to be able to give this jewel my light and my strength for the past eight years. And he has rewarded me with a warmth that has made me stronger. A warmth I want to continue."

He held his hand palm up to the origami sky. Two objects fell into it. "Severus, if you consent to be mine, I will provide you with all the light you need." He held his hand out to me. On it were two rings of dark amber-like gold holding onyx jewels. 

Remus waited patiently as I warred with the side of me that insisted I didn't deserve what he offered. I knew I couldn't let it win. So I carefully reached onto his palm to take one of the rings and slip it on a finger.

By that point my children and all of the Lupins had realized that emotions could silence my tongue. So I heard thirteen voices raise in a loud "Yes!" as I settled the ring on my finger.

I nodded to ensure Remus understood.

He smiled and slipped the other ring on his finger. Then he leaned in for a kiss. I used that kiss to communicate all the joy that had silenced my voice.


	29. Remus

I hadn't expected that planning my second wedding would be more trouble than planning my first. But when I married Dora, I hadn't had even one child to consult on the matter. Now I had eleven. They had a vast array of different suggestions to make the day special for us. Some that were useful and profound. Some that were bloody ridiculous.

I was afraid to ask what suggestions Severus received from Ricky and Laura, especially given Ricky's preoccupation with drums.

I diligently sorted through the ideas I had written down, scratching some out and making notes on others. I had just written in the margin of Sean's suggestion that we have a giant snowball war in January to celebrate our union when I heard a whoosh and a loud thud in the community house hallway.

It was a familiar set of sounds. A set that made me cringe every time I heard it. Because I was rarely able to do anything to help my eldest son with the pain that it signified. But maybe he would let me this time. He had started to change, allowing me into the parts of his life he previously thought too severe for my emotions.

This issue was a reminder of a more severe time. Falcher had used the Crutacius curse so often on Daryl that his nerves now could respond as if they were being cursed when he was under stress. The phenomenon had been documented since the 1800s, but nobody had found a cure for it. When he was in his teens and twenties, I had consulted with Poppy Pomfrey, but we could do little other than order him to rest until the attack passed.

But apparently, neither Poppy nor I was the right person to treat Daryl for this. When Daryl started dating Allie, she had consulted with Neville's wife Hannah. She had become determined to find a solution after Daryl had his first attack in front of her. 

Alecto Carrow had used the curse on Neville when he had served detention during the war. The spell was cast just often enough that Neville too had occasional attacks of his nerves acting as if they were cursed. So, after a long discussion between the two women, they termed the attacks 'Flashbacks' and Allie decided to try the technique Hannah used to calm the attacks.

For some reason, they did not make the treatment public. All I knew about the treatment was that magic was not required to start it (Allie was able to use it when Daryl was in severe pain and unable to move), and they dispensed the details to whoever needed them in a private meeting that usually also included Maya. So far, the treatment had been successfully communicated to two of the rescued wolves, some people in the Ministry, and a friend of Fleur Weasley.

As much as the secrecy puzzled me, I realized that embarrassment might be a reason for it, so I simply referred anyone who was exposed to the Crutacius curse to them. Everyone seemed happy with that solution.

So I was prepared to contact Allie quickly (through Jaro, who could pick her up. Malfoy Manor was near the agency Allie worked for.). But first, I needed to know how bad Daryl's condition was.

"Daryl, do you need help? Do I need to get Madame Pomfrey?" I yelled as I stood up to check on him. 

"It wasn't me, Father. I'm having a flashback, but I didn't fall."

I sighed. I would probably need to disturb Poppy if one of the rescued wolves was the person who fell. They tended to react badly. However, I was less worried about my eldest now. Daryl's voice sounded strong, a good sign during a Crutacius flashback.

"Is it Neville?" I asked as I quickly checked the notes on Severus's office door before heading toward the hallway.

"Try again." Daryl's voice was muffled and a little strained as he said this. He was exerting himself. That would only make the flashbacks worse.

Daryl knew that even better than we did. So there had to be a reason he would risk having the pain intensify. I thought for a moment about who would be apparating to the community center at this time. Apparation was so stressful a spell that it was often the catalyst for these attacks. The moment I realized that someone was supposed to meet me in the hall in a few minutes, I gasped and quickened my steps. "Severus!" came out of my mouth almost before I realized it.

As I turned the corner into the hallway, I saw Daryl trying to hold Severus up amid the pain from simultaneous Crutacius flashbacks. I immediately went over and supported my fiance, then told Daryl to sit down on the chair we left in the hallway for occasions such as this.

A painful shudder went through Severus, so I quickly summoned another chair and configured it into an armchair that would fit both of us. Then I pulled him into my arms carefully as I sat down. "I'm sending for Allie so she can help Daryl. Do you want me to send for Poppy as well?"

Severus shook his head briefly. I could see that speaking would be nearly impossible for him so I shushed him as he tried to. "I'll get Laura to check you then. And I'll have Allie tell us about the treatment Hannah found. Maybe it will help."

I rubbed his arm gently, which helped him relax slightly. Then I summoned a Patronus to tell Jaro to get Allie because two people were suffering from flashbacks. When I turned my head to check on Daryl, his face was red.

"Dare, what's wrong?" I asked, afraid that he was suffering symptoms I was unaware of. 

"You might want to call Maya in as well," he said softly. "I know you had her talk to Severus earlier..."

"What? Why?" I asked in confusion.

"The best thing to combat this is pleasure, Father." Daryl's face turned redder.

"Sex." Severus choked out before I could stop him.

Daryl nodded solemnly. "And Maya has helped some of the others work out consent issues before the next attack, since it's hard to do when you're nearly passing out with pain." 

I looked between Daryl and Severus questioningly. "Severus, have you tried it?" I asked softly.

Severus shook his head again. "But Poppy knows about it. She recommended it during my last attack, the night after you slept in my shop. But she didn't give me any details." His voice sounded a little stronger. Whether from resting or from me holding him, I wasn't sure. It didn't matter. I knew I didn't want him to move from my side until we figured out what would make him well.

So I looked to Daryl. "Is the treatment that bad?" I asked as he seemed to cringe when my gaze met his.

"Uh, no. But I didn't like our first discussion about sex." Daryl winced in pain, but I wasn't sure if it was mental or physical.

Now I cringed. That discussion, when he was sixteen, had been so hard for both of us that I had bought a muggle book on the subject. I had wanted to make sure he was informed, but we had both felt so awkward that I decided letting him discover on his own from a good source was better than a discussion. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, especially when you're already in pain. Do you mind if I discuss it with your wife then?"

Daryl shrugged. "Somebody needs to help you."

I reached to squeeze Daryl's hand in thanks. Then we waited.

Jaro must have contacted the rest of the family because before he and Allie arrived, Dorian and Ned came to check on us.

"Allie and Maya are on their way." Dorian informed us. "They both have some work that can't be dropped. As soon as they finish, they'll be here." 

Ned then used magic to move our chairs into the Betas' office, which had been expanded to accommodate our new arrangement. He settled them gently in a corner as Jaro came in with Maya and Allie.

Maya surveyed the situation, then pointed to the three men who were standing. "We need you to stay. I've never discussed this with anyone in a same-sex relationship. I don't want to miss details. As long as everyone's fine with that."

I nodded, Allie agreed, Daryl shrugged and my three other sons looked startled but understanding. But it was Severus I was most worried about. He was the one this discussion was intended for, and he had been mistreated sexually. I didn't want him to be any more uncomfortable than he had to be.

However, I didn't take into account how much he had learned about us and our willingness to help.

"That is acceptable," he said softly. "And perhaps you can aid me in talking to your father about his avoidance in the bedroom. I wish to know what is bothering him, but I have had difficulty finding a way to discuss it."

I startled as he said this. So did my sons. But Maya and Allie just had twin expressions of exasperation aimed at me. 

"Of course we will, Severus," Allie replied. "We know how difficult those conversations can be, especially when you don't know why they're needed."

Severus whispered "Thank you" as everyone found chairs and settled around us. 

Allie then gave us an a description of the treatment. "Hannah told me that sex creates a special type of magic in wizards. That magic can counter the flashbacks. But it must be pleasurable for both parties and it must involve penetration."

Severus turned his head to look at me as she said this. I just sighed and nodded. It was time to face another fear.

"Does the penetration have to be of any particular type? Who has to do the penetrating?" Dorian asked cautiously. I was glad he was asking. He had been involved with another man the longest, so he understood things that the rest of us might not.

"Oral penetration won't work, but anal will," Allie said in a no-nonsense tone. I tried to avoid Daryl's eyes as he sighed. I had a feeling Allie knew these facts from personal experience.

"Fleur's friend Beatrice was the only woman with flashbacks that we've discussed this with," Maya said. "She said sex worked for her. So the positioning doesn't seem to matter. She did, however, recommend taking it slowly. Rushing seems to negate the effects."

"You two will need to work out consent beforehand, preferably now." Allie reached out until she gently touched Severus's arm. "You might not be able to communicate well if the attack is bad."

I watched as Severus fought his body so he could hold Allie's hand for a moment. Then he carefully shifted to look at me. "Will you consent? The matter of penetration seems to be something you avoid."

I could feel my face turning red. "I-I haven't been abused, love. I just gave up men when James started dating Lily. Like you, I had some trouble letting go, even after their deaths. And I fell for you so slowly that I haven't considered dating anyone else for years. So I don't really know what I'm doing. When I was with James, I relied on him. He knew what to do, he did the penetrating. I didn't want to try with you because I didn't want to hurt you."

Daryl chuckled as Dorian and Severus simultaneously rolled their eyes at me.

"There are books on the subject," Severus said.

"He knows that. He bought me one," Dorian replied as he stared me straight in the eye. "Jaro, where are the books?"

"Upstairs in a locked closet. We thought Maya might need them for a discussion at some point." Jaro looked amused.

"I do, right now," Maya said. "But please tell me those books aren't twenty years old."

Dorian shook his head. "I grabbed new ones in February, after I saw Jaro kiss Ned in the yard."

Maya gave a satisfied nod. "Go get them, akhi."

Jaro hurried upstairs and came back with three books. Dorian flipped through them quickly, then showed us pages we would need to read. "Here's some passages on safety and care. This page is on basic technique. These pages are on variations. You might need to try different ones, depending on how Severus is feeling."

Dorian and Severus both seemed rather calm as the pages flipped, so I took a deep breath. "Which variations would you prefer, Severus?"

"I would prefer to see your face," my love said quietly. 

"I'd save those variations for the next day," Ned commented. "They often take a bit more exertion from both parties. This one doesn't take a lot of work, and you can stay really close." He pointed to a picture.

Severus nodded. "That should be enough to remind me that I am in good hands."

Maya came over to look at the picture and ask Ned a few questions about pain and stress in that position. She nodded approvingly after getting the answers. "Then Severus, do you give Remus permission to use this variation for you even when you can't speak?"

"Yes, and if I object for some reason, I shall screech, which I can normally do no matter how much pain I'm in." Severus laid his hand over mine as if he realized that the sound would trouble me.

"What should I do at that point?" I asked, now understanding why the three women had previously handled this situation so carefully.

"Most likely Laura, Poppy or Edward will be needed. So please contact one of them."

I nodded, then turned to Ned and Dorian. "Help me get him home."

====

Dorian and Ned placed Severus so gently on the bed I thought of as ours that I nearly had tears in my eyes. Daryl had only let Neville or Richard carry him during an attack, so I hadn't realized how careful these two could be. 

They both hugged me, then told me they would be at the community house for the night and would send Laura over in the morning. I thanked them a little shyly, worried that I had disturbed them in some way. Dorian just smiled and kissed my brow. "You messed up, but you're fixing it. And I'm sure you'll learn from this. My Father always told me that was important."

That made me chuckle as they headed out the door.

I let Severus get his fill of gazing on my face as I read the pages in the books that Dorian had marked for me. I tried out the lubrication spell successfully. He gave me permission to try the spell that would help me ease into him painlessly.

I then asked him if he was then ready. He sighed. "I have been ready since the first time you kissed me."

So I kissed him gently before slipping behind him and casting the necessary spells to remove our clothes and make my entrance more comfortable for him. A moment later, I was sliding into him. It felt wonderful and gave me a sense of completeness that had been missing from my earlier fumblings. But I found that I missed having his arms around me

Then I heard him whisper a spell. Though he could barely move, I could feel his presence surround me. I smiled as I wrapped an arm around his waist so I could rock slowly in him. "Your spell has plenty of uses."

"It will do for reminding you that what we are doing is for more than medicinal purposes," Severus said softly.

I kissed his shoulder. "I haven't forgotten. I don't want to forget. I think I'd be content to lay with you exactly like this or ask you to give this to me every night." It was true. Sex with Dora had been exciting and passionate. We had saved small affections and contented resting for the afterglow. But here with Severus, I found a way to combine passion with those small touches that meant so much to both of us.

"I would like to try other possibilities, especially those that allow me to see your face. But I agree. This is an event that is best savored." Severus rested his hand on my arm. "This gives me joy. You give me joy."

Tears came to my eyes as I realized what his words actually meant. "I love you too, my Prince."

Then I slowly built the pleasure for both of us so that joy was all we felt for the rest of the night.


	30. Severus

Compromise took skill. It was a skill that the pack taught almost as naturally as breathing. I realized that I had unexpectedly learned how to handle it when I gave no more than small grumble as Remus insisted that we take a vacation.

The severity of my Cruciatus attack frightened him. He barely left my side until I was capable of going back to the shop. It took four days, which Nathaniel told me was a day longer than Daryl's worst attack. By the time my body could move with minimal pain, Remus seemed to wince every time I did.

So I made arrangements for Francis Grady to brew potions for me for a week. In return, I allowed him to bring the students who were fulfilling their punishment to the shop. The practical setting would be good for them, and also help Grady evaluate Albert's skills (as he was now teaching him in the afternoons). I wanted to give Albert the opportunity to continue his apprenticeship. In fact, I believed that if his interest stayed strong, I might even take him as a permanent employee.

Remus decided that we would go to the cottage for our vacation, with three other couples who needed some days of privacy as well. Nathaniel and Jaro needed time to work out some issues. Maya and Samuel were now expecting a child, so they wanted some time to plan. Dorian and Stuart's relationship had been stressed by the crisis we had gone through, so they needed to reassess their bond to each other. 

Daryl and his family were sent to the Pennines so Richard could keep the Beta from overtaxing himself. He still was learning how to balance his life. In addition, Richard's pack had more than the cottage did to keep Daryl's son amused.

When all of us arrived at the cottage, it was decided that we would breakfast together, but that the rest of the day would be spent with one's significant other. The summer afforded the couples the chance to find an appropriate place away from everyone else. The lake was amenable to magical warding, so each couple could easily settle in a spot which would remain private the entire day. Dorian would prepare baskets of food so that we would only have to return to the cottage at night.

Remus told me he had planned this, as he wanted to speak with me without the distractions of our responsibilities around us. We needed to talk. Our shared past still was a wedge between us. It hadn't done any damage as of yet, but it could be a hindrance later.

So that first afternoon, in the shade by the lake, I told him about my relationship with Lily. He listened intently and asked a few questions. But I believe he mostly sought to understand what I was like to her. Because he watched my face to the point of making me uncomfortable. I knew that talking of our friend had a tendency to reveal my vulnerability.

But when I tried to look away, to avoid his piercing gaze, he caressed my cheek and kissed me. "You were a good friend to her before ideologies separated all of us," he said softly.

Then he spoke of his friendship with Lily as he wrapped his arms around me. She had been quite supportive of him after Black's foolhardy attempt to scare me. She had been the one to point out to Black that he had nearly killed Remus as well as me with his stunt. If the werewolf had done more than snap at me, there would have been justification for having Remus executed. That, more than anything, had made Black understand the fear Remus had about his condition.

I shuddered as he said this, realizing how close he had been to never having the love James Potter and I both knew he deserved. Because there had been very little tolerance of werewolves when we were young. A scratch to my arm might have been enough for the Ministry to consider Remus feral, and imprison or kill him. I shuddered even more as I realized that my pride and the confused feelings I had had for him at the time would have pushed me to support his imprisonment, because those feelings had frightened me. The fear rising up in me also left me with questions about why I had revealed his lycanthropy to the school the first year he taught. Had I secretly wanted him dead because I didn't know how to deal with our past?

That thought was so abhorrent to me now that I had to stifle an agonized whimper.

I didn't even realize my imaginings had made me tense until Remus started rubbing my back. "Severus, love, calm down," he whispered in my ear. "I didn't mean to upset you. The only person who ever came close to accusing me of dark magic or acts of cruelty was Umbridge. Dora and Kingsley refused to leave my side for weeks after she made the insinuation."

"But I--"

"You? Accused me of being a werewolf, which I am. The worst you have said of me is that I'm an idiot. I was never quite sure if that was an insult when it was coming from you." Remus shifted so that we were laying under the tree that provided the shade I needed. "The wolf inside me is dangerous. So you never made more of it than it was. You just used everyone's fear of it as a way to stop me from being cursed a second time. I refuse to consider that you had any intent worse than pushing me away for that reason, and because our past made the situation too confusing for you."

I wanted to believe his words. I wanted to believe that what I had thought then was now irrelevant. But part of me still insisted that Lily would have cursed me if she had known what I had done.

"You saved me, Severus," Remus whispered, interrupting my thought. "That is what I remember. That is what I tell anyone who asks. The rest doesn't matter."

His belief sustained me for the rest of that day as we discussed more benign topics. It, and his arms around me, also kept the nightmares at bay.

The next day Remus picked a brighter spot for us to walk around in, after making sure we were both carrying tubes of sun salve. Because he was going to attempt to face the pain that had kept him from exploring the physical part of our relationship. He was going to tell me about his relationship with James Potter.

I let him pace in the sun by the water as he struggled to say what he needed to. I was beginning to see his relationship with Potter was similar to the one I had with Lily. The details were written on our souls, but were extremely hard to put into words.

"James kissed me for the first time the night Sirius figured out that I was a werewolf. We were fifteen, and I was preparing to tell them that I was going to visit my sick mother yet again. But before I could, Sirius just blurted it out. 'You're a werewolf,' he said. 'And the full moon hurts you. It's not fair. It's not your fault that you're like this.'"

"The fairness of the situation I was in had never occurred to me before. But to them, it meant a great deal. I deserved to be able to rest the day before the moon. I deserved all the chocolate they could get their hands on the day after. And when they found out that the wolf attacked me because it felt trapped, well, I deserved to have someone find a solution to that. For no other reason than I was their friend."

"James crawled into my bed that night when he heard me crying. I still felt frightened by their discovery. I still thought they would shun me. But James just held me until I cried myself out. Then he kissed me. I think it was intended to comfort. His parents were a bit more physical with their affection than mine were. But we were teenagers. It turned into something more before either of us realized what happened."

His hands moved as if they were trying to grasp something. I imagined he was reaching for Potter until he briefly clutched my hand. "So he snuck into my bed at least once a month. Always on the night after Madame Pomfrey released me from the infirmary. And sometimes for a few nights before the moon. He went from comforting me to exploring what he could do with me. Then I was falling in love. It was never that way for him. I knew that. But he gave me what he could, until Lily started looking his way. As soon as she did, it was over. But he never once gave me the impression he wouldn't try to help me. Even his rejection was as gentle as possible."

Remus let my hand go as he began pacing again. "I never knew you saw our conversation in the Astronomy tower. I never knew about the potion ball. So I never knew James was referring to somebody real when he told me I deserved a prince."

I shrugged as I leaned against a tree near him. "He probably didn't realize I was the Prince. But if he was as generous to you as you say, he may have wanted to pass you on to someone who would treat you as well as he attempted to. The potion ball and my note might have indicated to him that I could."

Remus nodded with a small shimmer of tears glossing his eyes. "I think he felt guilty. If he took your note seriously, and all the evidence suggests he did, he might have been afraid he scarred me in some way. Because he was always encouraging me to date people. I'd let him push girls on me. But never boys. Because it was always the boy who had my heart. Until Dora. Until you."

"Me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You're a man, love, not a boy." Remus smiled shakily before the tears that he didn't have a chance to shed forty years ago came forth.

I came into the sunlight to pull him into my arms. To be the compassionate man that he needed at the moment.

"I'm sorry that I let my past keep me away from you," he whispered into my neck as I settled us on the ground in a spot that was half shade and half sun. "I should have approached you sooner. And I definitely should have told you that I wasn't that much more experienced than you."

"I cannot fault your inexperience. It comes from the same place mine does. And you have taught me of the generosity he showed you. You have most certainly given me more than anyone thought I deserved." I pulled back worriedly, but it was almost a reflex now. The feelings of worthlessness had muted enough that I could ignore them.

Remus encouraged that with a shake of his head. "You are just as generous. You just have to be allowed to give in your own way."

I searched his face as intently as he gazed on mine the day before. I imagined I could see James Potter's generosity in the smaller scars there, that were faint enough to not be noticed. The ones that would have marred his countenance if the wolf had continued to feel trapped. This man had turned the generosity given to him into a wave that infected everyone around him. And we were all better for it.

But part of the man still felt trapped by a love that couldn't exist. So I appealed to the spirit of a boy who I had hated as a youth to let me finish what he started. It was the wolf inside Remus that answered. His eyes flashed amber and he bared his neck to me as if in surrender.

So I waved my wand to check the wards around us, then I kissed him with a passion that I didn't know I had. "Let me return some of what you have given me," I said softly. "If my body can give you some peace."

"You have given me peace so often, my Prince."

He seemed to not understand what I was offering. So I took a chance and waved my wand over myself to strip off my clothing. Remus draped my jacket over my shoulders to shield me from the sun before he stripped off his own clothing. "Scheming always works better when there's no pain involved. But please continue." He laid back and smiled up at me.

Moving carefully, I straddled Remus's hips, then leaned down to kiss him again. Even though his tone was of the Alpha he had become, his kiss reflected the vulnerable young man that I sought to help in the days we just spoke of.

So I gentled my touch over his shoulders and down his sides and leaned to kiss the spot the wolf had bared to me. I heard it whimper, but I would not allow his baser side to rush me. He deserved my patience. He deserved the words I had been unable to speak up to this point.

I would let them speak through my actions. The expression of trust on his face inspired me. I sought to give him the meticulous touches that had up to now had only made me a potions master. But now, with my hands cooperating in a way they hadn't in at least a decade, I became Remus Lupin's seducer.

I used the spells we had read about together to prepare him. I used my voice to soothe him. It still astounded me that he found my grating nasal voice a comfort. But as I spoke to him about how I had prepared for this so that the past wouldn't restrict him, I saw the way his body flushed and his eyes focused on me intently. His length hardened with each word I said.

The astonishment faded to gratitude that I could please him so easily. Because my voice and his response to it eased us through the awkwardness that came with inexperience. But soon, he surrounded me, clutching me as if I were his ballast in a storm.

When I moved inside him slowly, carefully, he let out a canine whine that I instinctively knew pleaded for more. After a few more moments of awkwardness, Remus grabbed me by the hips and guided me. My head swam as we strained towards each other. It was impossible to get closer and yet we still tried. 

A moment later, a small shock jolted my hip. Suddenly, our movements were less strained and more rhythmic. And arousing in a way that hadn't happened previously. As our resonances combined, I felt a wave of possessiveness consume me. I had to share the man with the past and all the beings who looked to us for guidance. But in that spot by the lake where none of that intruded, I claimed my piece of him. Those words that had choked up inside me now rolled off my tongue, now that I understood more of the gift I had been given. "I love you, my Moonchild."

"You have always been my Prince," he whispered back, claiming me in return, giving me the benediction bestowed by his first Alpha, his first love.   

The harmony we had found rocked us, held us, and let us find the peace that we created for each other.


	31. Severus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A cartoon is incorporated into this chapter. It's described as well as I can, and quoted directly. I don't have an artist's name on the pic, or I'd give credit.

The newness of the changes in my life began to wear away with time. Part of me lamented that I would soon consider the gifts Remus and the pack had given me as simply part of life. 

Remus chuckled tiredly as I said this. He had just come home from a long meeting with Minerva McGonagall and the parents of the punished students to discuss how the children would be scored when I and Francis Grady evaluated them at the end of the week. So I forgave him for dismissing my feelings as he said, "They're supposed to be part of life, love. Nobody should be denied affection just because they don't meet somebody's exacting standards. Least of all you. Your standards for yourself are exacting enough."

He turned to rake his gaze down my form. I was wearing the jacket from my old teaching robes, and nothing else. I was indulging him because he said he had always wanted to know what the buttons felt like against his chest. He, on the other hand, was clad in a ridiculous pair of boxers that had been given to him by Nathaniel on Valentine's Day. The hearts on them supposedly had encouraged Remus to pursue me (so Nathaniel claimed). The boxers did not detract from my attraction to him. They instead enhanced it because he felt comfortable enough with me to show off his scar covered chest.

He knew how I liked to play with the hairs on his chest. The Marauder was deliberately enticing me.

Before I became distracted by the sight of him, I dipped a vial into the cauldron in front of us, then held it up to the light. It was clear and seemed to be the consistency needed.

"Is the lube ready yet?" my lover asked.

"Let me check it on your arm to make sure you don't react. Poppy believes our location in the grass caused your reaction to the lubrication spell I used our last day in Wales, but I'm not discounting an allergy to a spell. It is possible, if extremely rare. I'm also not sure what the spell's lubrication consists of, so I must test this on you."

Remus obediently laid his arm on the table. "If it wasn't the grass, why didn't I react the other days you used the spell?"

I shrugged. "Sheer will. I know you were determined to have me claim you as thoroughly as possible. You wouldn't let your body react until you knew I was so tied to you that I would not run again."

Remus smiled at my ridiculous statement. "Did it work?"

"I am thoroughly tied," I said as I took a stick to dab some of the liquid on Remus's arm. "And to run would deny me contact with you. Due to your incessant marauding, I need that as much as breathing."

We watched his arm, but it did not react to the liquid. He reached out with the arm to pull me in for a kiss. "Then we feel the same. Let's head to bed. I'll let you take care of me. I can't have you fretting. You'll scare the students."

"They should consider themselves lucky that they do not have more to fear," I said after I pulled back and gathered the vial to take upstairs. "I could have been their teacher instead of just the evaluator." 

"You've been a good teacher for Teddy and Al. They sing your praises every time your back is turned," Remus said as we made our way to our bedroom. "And I love when you teach me more about yourself."

Conversation stopped as he pushed me onto the bed. Then he laid on me to feel the buttons of the jacket press into his skin. His voice turned husky in arousal. "I would have begged for you to berate me when we taught together if I had known I had a chance. Even then, your voice could make me shiver. If you had talked to me then, I would have followed you around to hear your voice."

I shifted him so I could vanish his pants, apply lubrication to myself, then slowly slide inside him. My quick efficient movements belied how affected I was by his words. But I held myself together long enough to say, "Whereas I hear the most interesting sounds from you when you lose your ability to speak. Now, for instance."

I was gratified to hear the soft whine from him indicating overwhelming pleasure as I shifted his hips against mine.

"Of course, you are my only student who deserves specialized attention," I whispered in his ear. 'Because what I get in return has never ceased pleasing me."

The beast inside him ripped at my collar so he could nip my neck, asserting his claim on me.

Then I lost my own voice to the pleasure we created.

====

I expected that I would have difficulties facing the punished students at Hogwarts. I was never well-liked as a teacher. Only a few understanding students knew the stress I was under as Headmaster and treated me kindly because of it. Most of the others reviled me. 

So the mask of indifference and severity that had left my countenance slowly during the past few months returned. Remus sighed as he gazed at me over the kitchen table at breakfast. "Are you certain you want to do this? If it disturbs you too much, I'll talk to Francis."

I shook my head. "I do want to check on Albert's progress. And this favor should not be too much to give considering the care Grady and Minerva have taken in correcting the apprentice situation and helping me with other issues."

My hand grasped his quickly, as he looked more troubled than I felt. "Please stay nearby," I coaxed as gently as I could. "I then can stand by you if the need for comfort arises."

Remus nodded, his countenance brightening slightly. "We should walk to the school. It's a nice day."

I realized he wanted time to be close to me before the evaluations began, so I nodded my agreement. As I watched his expression ease even more, I realized why Daryl had become so protective of him. He worried about those he cared for quite a bit.

But the Beta had taken the wrong path by attempting to hide worrisome ideas from Remus. Remus worried the least when he could do something to help, even if it was a small thing such as holding a hand before a troublesome event started.

So I let him clean up breakfast with a spell and took his hand as we left the house.

As we walked, my lover regaled me with inanities that I now found interesting. We discussed whether we should advise Maya and Samuel, since they were having trouble choosing a name for their child. Then Remus told me that Daryl's son Trevor had decided to go to Hogwarts. But he insisted on being allowed to go home for more than just the holidays. Minerva had agreed, as the adoption had been finalized in the last week.

Of the others in Trevor's original pack, there was more news. Christopher had decided to stay with Richard's pack. Remus could see him easily becoming Richard's Beta now that he had the support he needed. Kyle was more worrisome. He did not wish to go to school, although he was offered a place at Hogwarts. But he did not know what he wanted to do instead.

"Let me take him on as an apprentice," I offered, surprising myself as well as him. "I do not believe his interests are in potions, but perhaps I could decipher where they may lie. And he will learn meaningful skills in the meantime."

Remus nodded. "Daryl was going to have him run errands in the community house, but your suggestion may be more useful. Potions require various sets of skills. Maths, Charms, Divination at times, if Luna is to be believed."

I scoffed. "She has used the less accurate technique of making Amortentia. But if I see signs that he has skills in that realm, I will call Madame Scamander to my shop."

My fiance seemed amused that I had actually found a use for the former Ms. Lovegood. "You may want him to attempt the potion her way, just so we cover all disciplines."

I nodded. "And if I exhaust the magical disciplines, I will consult with the family about the muggle ones."

Remus smiled. "Thank you, Severus."

I squeezed Remus's hand as we walked onto Hogwarts' ground. I had the feeling that the first Marauder had once again manipulated the situation to my benefit in some way. But I no longer minded. I would simply give him affection and a scheme of my own (at some point) in return.

Some of the reasons for his scheming became noticeable as I faced Grady's students on the second floor balcony near Remus's classroom. I was in an evaluative frame of mind, instead of worrying about being judged by others.

Grady had laid out tables for the students to work at on the balcony, saying that even punishment looked easier in the breeze of a summer's day.

I nodded as I watched the students prepare a potion of their choosing that was appropriate for their level. I was to rate them on their preparation technique as well as the finished product. So I took the parchment Minerva handed me and began making notes as Grady did the same.

Of the eight students there for punishment, seven of them had caught up to their peers, and in two cases, surpassed them. I kept my face as neutral as possible as I noted this. I knew these children were expecting to be berated, as that was what I was known for. 

But only one of the students needed reprimanding. So I whispered to Grady to congratulate his seven successes while I spent a moment with Albert, then spoke with Mandy Hall, who looked supremely bored, even in the face of failure.

I praised Albert quietly, as he had developed more skills then I expected in such a short amount of time. He appeared outwardly composed, but when I looked closely, I could see that he was nearly vibrating with glee. So I pointed out where I could help him make improvements in the plant growth potion he chose, if he wished to remain in the shop as my apprentice.

"Yes, please, Alpha Severus." Albert nearly leaped as he said this, amusing the three professors. 

I smiled. "Then go give the potion to Professor Longbottom. It is adequate for the aconite he grows. And when you talk to Kyle Greer of your success, please let him know I wish to speak to him."

As Albert ran off to do as I bid, I turned to Ms. Hall. The parchment Minerva had given me said that she was going into her seventh year, but nothing else. 

But as I watched her carefully, I realized that the observational skills I had used during the war and now with the pack were already giving me information.

From her stance, I could tell that she believed she had more important things to do than work on potions. From the enhancements she made on her face, including color and facial highlights, I realized that seeking a date was one of those things.

But I then noticed the highlighting had a dulling effect rather than the one she intended. So I stood next to her and told her, "Someone has stolen your money. The potion you used to highlight your cheekbones hides them instead."

I looked around, but did not see the object I needed until Minerva handed me her pocket mirror. I held it up so that Ms. Hall could see. Most likely she hadn't noticed when she applied the potion because charlatans often used a temporary charm on the liquid to bring about the desired effect for a very short time.

When she gasped, I looked to Grady for permission to continue. He nodded eagerly.

I closed the mirror and handed it back to the Headmistress, who was smiling at me. I didn't turn to look at Remus because I knew the word on his lips would cause me to laugh. And I couldn't succeed in getting this girl's attention if I laughed at this point.

I frowned at her instead and said, "Albert has a book containing a highlighting potion similar to yours. If you can figure out why yours does not work and then brew another one within the next week, I will consider passing you. You will also save yourself a few galleons in the process."

That made her stare straight at me. "May I ask for help?"

I nodded. "You may come to my shop or ask Professor Grady to demonstrate proper techniques, or help you decipher what ingredients are used for particular reasons. But you must dissect your potion and brew the new one yourself."

"Yes, Sir." Ms. Hall said, suddenly looking eager to start on the project I had given her.

So when Albert came back from his errand to the Greenhouses, I had him retrieve the book and help Ms. Hall begin.

Minerva and Grady both thanked me for my time and that bit of ingenuity, as Grady had had trouble getting the girl to pay attention to anything for the past two years.

But it was Remus's single word that meant the most.

"Marauder," he whispered as he kissed my brow. "Let's go home and take advantage of the last day of Teddy's apprenticeship. I want to love the man who knows how to motivate the most stubborn of students."

I let him guide me home without a word of protest.


	32. Remus

Once we confronted our shared past, Severus and I had a much easier time talking to each other. The quiet man opened up slowly and carefully. But I knew how to be patient with him and he knew that I would wait for him to compose his thoughts. So our conversations grew, both in depth and in length.

Conversations about the pack and Hogwarts often dominated our mornings. I told Severus about the new batch of students that had come to the school and forced me to not make it home until midnight because the Sorting Hat had found them perplexing. I also updated him on the students in and connected to the pack. He was amused by the intimate relationship evolving between Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. He rolled his eyes at the somewhat rigid ideas of Ron and Hermione's daughter. He applauded softly when I told him our first grandson, Trey, had been sorted into Ravenclaw and accepted enthusiastically because the legend of Daryl's cleverness still lingered in the stories the members had heard from Sean and Ian. His eyes grew misty when I mentioned how Lily Potter's sorting was as easy as her grandmother's, but that did not stop the newly-sorted Gryffindor from running to the Slytherin table to give her brother Albus a hug.

Severus spent much of his share of the mornings telling me of Al and Kyle's progress. Al had a strong affinity for potions and was learning the more complex ones fast. So Severus made sure that he learned other skills as well. Kyle's discovered preferences helped with this. It took more prying than Severus was used to, but he finally realized that young Mr. Greer wanted to focus in fashion and beauty arts. At first, this made my fiance extremely uncomfortable. Many of his troubles had focused around his physical appearance. But after Kyle showed him some techniques that made his skin less sensitive to the sun and altered Yvette's robe to be more functional for the shop, Severus began to warm up to the idea. He and Kyle planned out what skills the young man would need to learn for a career. Severus then set up tutoring with appropriate teachers. He, of course, started with potions. But he then passed Kyle (and Al) on to almost all of us (including myself) because Kyle wanted to start a business.

The evenings were reserved for sharing our joys in each other. We talked most of the nights, whether it be about what we liked about each other, shared interests, or understanding the interests we differed on. These conversations often took place while we were wrapped around each other in some way, and sometimes in bed before a more physical pleasure overtook us. I was delighted that he liked sharing with me, so I encouraged it in every way possible. Oddly enough, more than once it resulted in us breaking out laughing right before we took on the more serious business of encouraging each other to orgasm.

Some of those unusual conversations concerned our impending marriage. At first, we had no idea what to do to bond ourselves in front of our family, pack, and friends. The ideas we asked for from the family were interesting, but none of them seemed to completely capture what we needed. So we began combining their thoughts, after deciding the wedding would, first and foremost, be a truly complex scheme. We hid our plans from everyone except Allie and Ned. The two of them were then in charge of obtaining what we needed by creating smaller schemes to obscure the true nature of their requests. As the planning, and the half-truths, began to grow and multiply, Severus swore that we had taken on an endeavour larger than any planned by me and the rest of the original Marauders, or even Albus Dumbledore. But we were having too much fun to stop at that point.

====

We had one more troubling time to get through before we could enjoy the fruits of our labour of love. First, we had to get through the anniversary of the event that had defined much of our lives: the deaths of James and Lily.

Everyone became more cautious around us a week before the holiday that delighted so many wizards, but that neither of us could acknowledge without tears coming to our eyes. They could see how we clutched hands to give each other strength as we dealt with the past. My children already knew how to distract me to prevent the memories from causing more than momentary pain. I did my best to help them as they taught Laura, Ricky and Al so that Severus had similar support.

Time had of course faded the memories and some of the pain for both of us. But our relationship had the unexpected consequence of digging up thoughts and feelings that we had buried to deal with our loss. So we were a little more raw than usual this time around. But still I could smile when Daryl reached out to me for the first time to wrap his arms around me.

Severus was quietly appreciative when Laura and Al decorated his pack and shop offices with memorabilia similar to what adorned the house and my offices. Pictures, notes, hair ribbons donated by Severus's former cellmate Mona, as well as two of Lily's quills (that I found in Andromeda's house with Sirius's school supplies) were arranged around photographs of me and him in both offices. When I saw what they had done, I tracked down Michael and Hermione (who had taken the pictures of us) to retrieve a few more pictures for my offices and our living room as well.

So we were surrounded by support on our most difficult day. The pack had arranged our day so that we spent it together. Minerva found people to cover my classes. Teddy took the day off from St. Mungo's to help Al and Kyle take care of the shop. Then Dorian, Daryl and Ricky dragged us to the community house to make sure we were surrounded by love on the day we needed it the most.

The entire pack seemed to find excuses to spend a few moments in the community house that day. Moira came to update us on a few pack members who had had trouble finding jobs (but were now employed in the Ministry and a wand shop in Scotland). Harry stopped by to hold our hands and share a few memories. Michael, Ned and Bill came by to give us a note from Kingsley. Neville came to tell me that my students wanted me back as soon as possible. No excuse was too small to use to check on us.

Laura, Al and Allie stopped by for lunch. Dorian set up a table that could be seen from the door for all of us because he expected the rest of the family and some of the other Weasleys to come by soon.

So Severus and I were listening to Laura tell us about a few cases at the hospital when the door banged open.

We all turned, then gasped. 

Harold White, the rescued werewolf who presumably had left to seek a stricter pack, stepped into the gathering room. He didn't say a word. But his eyes seemed to shine with anger as he pointed his wand at Severus.

Before he could cast a spell, I scrambled to push Severus out of the way. Just as I heard his chair scrape satisfyingly against the floor, I felt hands on me, and a body fall into me. But the only sight that made any sense to me was black fur tinged with silver on the table in front of me. But I didn't know what animal had that fur or where it came from. It couldn't be one of us, the moon wouldn't be full for another two weeks.

That was my last thought before everything turned black.

====

I woke to Severus's sobs. Each one was a loud and painful sound of regret. I immediately knew that they meant something awful had happened. So I sought a way to make them cease, believing in my muddled mind that it would also negate whatever caused them.

I tried to reach out to hold him. Before I could move, however, I was stopped by strong but gentle hands. "Stay still, Remus. One of the hexes from that imbecile broke your lunch table. Laura's trying to remove a piece of it from your side," Poppy Pomfrey commanded in a tone that I could barely hear.

So I opened my eyes instead. Laura smiled at me, then gently turned my head away before I looked down at my side. "You don't want to see it, trust me," she mouthed to me before shifting my gaze elsewhere.

I next focused on the wall by the door. Harry and Ron were restraining Harold White against it, while a few of their subordinates were holding off Jaro, Maya and Dorian. Harry caught my eye and nodded sharply. I assumed that meant that the threat from Harold was contained, so I let my eyes drift further.

On the floor not far from me, Al laid, attended to by someone in St. Mungo's robes. He woke slowly as I watched. Then we both shifted our gazes as Teddy came into the room with what sounded like a muffled yell. Ned immediately wrapped an arm around him and whispered in his ear. For some reason, I couldn't hear what Ned said. But I knew he could comfort Teddy, so I looked around some more.

My eyes finally found Severus, standing on the uninjured side of me. He was staring at me from the cradle of Daryl's arms, who had wrapped them around him from behind. They both had tears streaming down their cheeks.

Suddenly, as Severus reached toward me, the sounds in the room and the pain in my side came rushing at me. I barely contained a scream at the pain. 

"It's out!" I heard Laura exclaim as my head swam.

"Severus, sit down!" Poppy barked over the angry voices of my children.

I was trying to decipher the rest of the shouts in the room (most of which seemed to demand Harold's removal as fast as possible) when my hand on my uninjured side was squeezed gently between two stiff but gloriously familiar hands.

I looked up to where Severus was perched on a chair and leaning over me protectively.

"You lived," he whispered in an incredulous tone. I could feel his hands tremble a second later, as if he feared that by saying the words, the gift he had been given would be taken away.

I just smiled through my pain, accepting its reminder that I was still with the people I loved. Then I gave my lover the only reassurance that made sense on that day.

"Lily would throw me off the Astronomy Tower if I died on you today."

Severus's teary chuckle was all the heaven I needed.

====

That night, Severus tucked Al into the bed that I had stopped using months ago.

Poppy had declared that the young man needed someone nearby in case the lingering affects of the freezing hex that hit him made him fall again. He didn't need a second concussion. 

Severus had been so frightened by Al passing out on the heels of what he thought was my death that he refused to let either of us more than thirty feet away from him. So he gave the room to Al for the night, and made Laura and Teddy promise to come over once each to check on us during the night and early morning.

When Al was settled, Severus helped me into bed. As he did so, he also told me what happened after Poppy apparated me and Al to the Hogwarts infirmary so she could treat us without the whole pack watching over her shoulder.

"Dorian and Michael made sure everyone was accounted for and safe. Edward and Laura treated Alicia and a few others for minor scrapes. Then Daryl and Alicia gave detailed descriptions of the events to the Aurors. Potter seemed rather incensed that White would even attempt something so foolhardy, and needed to step away before he did something he regretted. But Ronald handled the situation adequately, so I doubt we will need to face the Wizengamot over this."

I settled against him as he wrapped an arm around me. "What did you do?"

Severus kissed my shoulder before replying, "I trusted them. The pack insisted that I rest so that I could care for you tonight. Jaro and Nathaniel made it their mission to ensure that nobody other than pack members could come near me. So Draco was declared family as soon as he came through the floo. He had become worried when Jaro didn't return to work after lunch. He then consulted with the family to check that no detail was missed in your treatment or White's arrest."

"And you did as they asked without complaint? That is impressive." I turned my head to kiss Severus softly.

"I was much more amenable when Daryl went to Hogwarts with one of his devices and set it up so that I could watch you sleep," he admitted.

"That must be why I slept without nightmares," I murmured into his chest as I shifted to a position that was more comfortable. "My only dream was about staring at black and silver fur in the moonlight."

"I thought that dog I saw running under the tables was my imagination," Severus said breathlessly as he suddenly clutched me. "Especially when I could not find it and everyone denied seeing the Killing Curse I swore it absorbed in your stead."

I turned to stare at Severus. "I saw the dog." What I didn't say was that its fur had reminded me of the dog who had comforted me in my late teens.

We settled to sleep quietly after that. But we must have had the same thought about that mysterious event. Because before I drifted off, I thought I heard Severus murmur, "Thank you, Black."


	33. Remus

Severus became impatient after my recovery. In truth, my ability to wait to officially call Severus mine began to wear thin very quickly. Marriage was no guarantee of safety, nor would it make difficulties disappear. But over the months we had been together, we had had too many people attempting to separate us in some way. We agreed that a public declaration of commitment to each other would make the same statement that Michael had tried to make when he had made Severus's pack charm flash the name 'Alpha's Prince': If you are looking to separate us, prepare to fight an army.

In that vein, we needed the reassurance that we had the support of those we called family. We needed the belief that if fate would separate us beyond our control, that the love we created would continue in someone's memory. Because we both knew love begat love. We knew that James and Lily had created in us something that we did not want to die.

So I carefully suggested to Severus that we marry before the end of the year. I knew Christmas celebrations were difficult for him. But something about that time was calling to me. I had the feeling his intermixing of 'joy' and 'love' had something to do with the Yuletide.

I was only partially surprised when he suggested December 23rd, which was traditionally the day of the pack's Christmas party. I had chosen that day for the party because it had been the last day Sirius had been able to send letters to the rest of us before his parents forced him to bow to their wishes. Those letters had been full of the joy we had had at school. Oddly enough, it had also been the day I had met Daryl. By the New Year, I had expanded my family. All of us thought of joy on that day.

So did Severus. He told me it had been the day he and Lily spent together before Christmas obligations pulled them back to family.

We gave Ned and Allie the deadline. Both of them smiled as we told them. "It's the best time for a scheme," Ned said with a mischievous grin. "They're all going to help you get married, but they won't know it until we sit down for dinner."

====

While Allie and Ned organized the minutiae of our celebration, I watched the man I loved become a leader. He had spoken the truth all those months ago when he said that I had changed radically when I had become Alpha. I had been lucky that my feelings of being overwhelmed drove me to seek the support of many of the people around me. That allowed me to grow.

Now he had the support of those around him, something he had been denied most of his life. This did not make him into Albus Dumbledore. But it did allow him to vary the size of the bubble he encased himself in.  What used to be reserved for a lonely sad man, now included two people, three people, sometimes even all ten of the people who had decided to look up to him. Now he was no longer afraid to speak his mind. And our acceptance of his struggles gave him compassion. When he spoke, he helped others do the same. 

So as I wandered in and out of the community house between classes, I would often hear the words, "Alpha Severus said." It made me smile every time I heard it. My expression at the words so amused the Betas that Daryl put up a board next to the kitchen door to let me see the advice Severus had dispensed that day when everyone was busy.

Even Harry and Neville started repeating some of what he said. That stopped Severus in his tracks. I just laughed. "You know what it's like to fight against impossible odds. Just like they do. That's worth sharing."

All of this finally started to change the negative attitudes towards him. I breathed sighs of relief as people would come up to him to say hello, ask about a potion or just stare at him. Although the latter was uncomfortable, it was much preferred to the insults and death threats he had gotten in the past.

The pack agreed that these changes were additional reasons to celebrate at the Christmas party. So Ned and Allie were able to convince them to decorate the gathering hall with not only the colors of Christmas, but also well placed blues and blacks that Severus favored. Persuading Dorian to make him a cake took no effort at all. Only Daryl seemed suspicious that something was afoot. But he had been a conspirator in many schemes, so he knew to wait to see what developed.

====

The sun shone bright that morning, two days before Christmas. I let myself enjoy waking up, even with the sun glaring in my eyes. I was wrapped securely in comforting arms, my magic gently intertwined with their owner's. Only my eyes felt pain. The rest of me wanted to bask in the love surrounding me.

Then a whispered spell adjusted the curtain on the window. 

"Thank you," I whispered as I loved my Prince in return by wrapping one of his hands in mine. "Are you sure you want to go out there? It snowed last night."

"I will not have you doubt what I say to you tonight," Severus replied as he studied my face. "So I must finish writing it in the clearest mind possible. If you wish to stay inside, however, I will not object. I dislike seeing you shiver in the elements."

"You know it's impossible to predict the exact moment the transformation will occur," I said as I traced his frown. "And I do my best to stay warm. But today a little cold air will be good for me too. After some tea and breakfast."

So we shuffled out of bed and helped each other with the start of our day. It felt comfortable, right, to hand him a bottle of pain potion while I swallowed mine. To get the tea kettle to boil while he made the porridge. To help him into a pair of gloves after he straightened my cloak.

That comfort, and the understanding that came with it, followed me as I found a tree stump to sit on outside while he paced on the snow covered path a few feet away.

I realized that the nervous energy he exuded was often focused on me, and had been periodically for our entire lives. He had sought to understand me even before I had attempted to help him. That perseverance had paid off in ways that neither of us expected. It was worth celebrating tonight.

So I pulled out the parchment of notes and ideas. And I wrote. But I never took my eyes off my inspiration for more than a few minutes. I didn't want to forget why my words were so important.

====

The Christmas party started that afternoon in the normal way. Sean and Ian came into the community house and declared that they were finished working (this year it was at a broom maker's shop in Sheffield). So Dorian served them a late lunch and told them to start decorating the tables when they were finished.

Severus and I watched from our open office doors and subtly changed the decorating scheme when their backs were turned. The twins weren't the most observant, and Dorian was busy in the kitchen. Our most dangerous children were out of the building. Laura and Teddy both had shifts at St. Mungo's that ended at six that day, and Daryl was out shopping with Trey. So were able to make most of the changes to the gathering room tables before Dorian poked his head out of the kitchen to check on the twins' progress.

When Dorian saw what we had done, he didn't say a word. He simply grabbed Severus's hand and pulled him gently but insistently into the kitchen. When Severus returned, he told me, "You taught your children too well." But he wouldn't say any more.

I suspected one of our conspirators was working on both sides of the fence when Daryl and Trey showed up an hour later in brand new formal robes. Daryl chuckled at me as I shook my head. "When do we start?" he asked.

"As soon as everyone gets here." 

My eldest son nodded. "Then around seven. Teddy said he needed time to gather all of the Weasley family. Ron hates wearing formal robes."

"Is there anyone who doesn't know?" I asked as I leaned back in my chair.

"Sean and Ian. They're not the best actors. But I bought them new robes while I was out. They'll be ready when everyone else is." Daryl held up one of the bags in his hand.

 "You probably should inform them," Severus said. "Minister Shacklebolt has arrived." He pointed out my window, to the figures of Kingsley and Minerva McGonagall.

Once Kingsley walked into the building and came into my office to talk to us, we shut the door. But I could hear the chatter in the gathering room as our friends and family arrived.

When we opened my office door again, around five o'clock, it was to the most astounding sight. Instead of the subtle changes we had made to complement the Christmas theme, the entire gathering room was made over in amber and black. And everyone was wearing black robes, amber robes, or some combination thereof.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted Nathaniel," Severus murmured in amusement.

My eyes were drawn to where Allie was standing next to Dorian, looking very smug. "Oh, no. It wasn't Ned. Well, the chocolate came from Ned." I picked up a wrapped chocolate shaped like a potion bottle off one of the tables and handed it to Severus.

A moment later, Daryl waved us towards Yvette. "Go get dressed. Almost everyone is here."

I raised an eyebrow. "You said seven."

Daryl just smiled and pointed to Yvette. "I know how to keep my Father from getting an attack of nerves. You don't give him time to panic. Get dressed."

We followed Yvette into two rooms upstairs, then a few minutes later faced each other in the hallway. My robe was almost identical in color to the one I wore at Teddy's wedding. But this time Yvette had been able to cut the robe so that it flowed with me and around me. Severus's robe was cut just as well, but was opposite in color, black trimmed with amber.

"We do not match the Yuletide celebrations," Severus sighed worriedly.

"Tomorrow is Christmas," Yvette said in a bit of a scolding tone. "Today is your marriage. Today we celebrate who you are. And you are kindness in black. You are well matched to our Father's heart in amber."

Yvette handed Severus a black handkerchief as I watched his eyes begin to shine. Then she tucked a few more in our pockets before shooing us down the stairs.

Our hands naturally entwined as we entered the gathering room. To our surprise, we found that we were not the only ones joined. The tables were now stacked in the back of the room, waiting for the party to begin. So that everyone could hold hands in raised concentric circles around a middle point where Kingsley was waiting for us.

As we watched, the people nearest us broke the circles to let us inside. Everyone smiled at us warmly as we entered the space. But nobody touched us, in deference to our status. We both were Alpha and mate. And while we gave our vows, we belonged to only each other. 

I thanked our family for their consideration with a nod of my head and a smile. Then I turned to Severus as Kingsley began to speak.

Kingley's words were a gentle background of rhythm as I gazed upon my love. But when that rhythm ceased, I knew it was time to tell Severus what he meant to me.

"As I stand before you, I know that I not only have our family's blessing but also the blessings of the two who I have loved before you. James, the one who made you mine before I understood, knew your heart had enough room for me. Dora knew that compassion and understanding were the strengths that sustain me. Our son realized that you were hiding enough of both to strengthen an army.

"Never doubt that I am yours. They have passed the wand to you, and I refuse to let go of the other end. You know me in ways I don't know myself. You give to me when I least expect it. Yes, you are taciturn, stubborn and you can wound with a short stare. But you are also the man who saved my family, held me while I cried, and gave me the strength to face the past. You are a Slytherin and a Marauder. I dare even Sirius to find a contradiction between those two parts of you, because they blend so seamlessly. And you are the most attractive man I have ever known. You make the colors of the night come alive, your voice holds me enthralled to your every word. I won't mention what your magic does to me. That is for us alone."

I smiled as Severus's cheeks turned a light pink. Then I said softly, "I am yours from now on. I solemnly swear."

I held out my open palm, where his wedding ring rested. But I forgave him for the moments I waited there. Because he was watching my pack charm change one last time, to say 'The Prince's Moonchild'.

Severus took the ring and put it on. Then he cleared his throat as he watched my eyes. I smiled and waited patiently. I waited twenty years for this man. A few more minutes didn't bother me. 

His voice was strong as he said, "Once I knew your other side, Lily told me one thing in regards to you. 'If you hurt him, you will pay. But if you respect him, you will be the one paid.' She was as fierce a defender as her husband, so I never crossed her. When I did have to hurt you, I attempted to do it in the right way for the right reason. But I stopped wanting to cause you pain the first time you attempted to rid me of mine.

"I considered you a fool. All I had known was pain. It didn't occur to me that you were trying to help me because portions of your life mirrored mine. You knew what I dealt with. It is in your very nature to empathize, and to fight for others. That label James Potter gave us, Marauder, somehow means 'one who observes well and stubbornly refuses to back down'. I expected that from him and from Black. I was shocked to find you were also defined that way, especially when you were marauding for me."

He placed my wedding ring in my hand. I slowly put it on as I watched him smile at me and end with, "Never stop being a Marauder, my Moonchild. Because when you fight for us, when you fight for me, you bring me along for the battle. You may defend with magic, but your greatest weapons are hope and love. And I am honored to give you some of that love. I will give you love until I cease to be."

I didn't wait for Kingsley's words. I pulled Severus close and kissed him. For a moment, we became so much a part of each other that I didn't know where I ended and he began. And I didn't care.

Then Kingsley cleared his throat and gave us back to our family. They accepted us joyously.

====

The party continued well into the night. I showed Severus the joys of dancing. Dorian served a dinner fit for a Prince and his adoring subjects, which included a tiered cake alternating rhubarb and chocolate. Ned sang love ballads that brought tears to everyone's eyes. Stories were shared by everyone about how much love was within and between us, making both of us blush horribly.

There were gifts scattered around the room for everyone, as this still was two days before Christmas. We accepted the ones that were for us humbly, as most were thoughtful. Including the picture of us kissing Jaro had gotten from the reporters at the trial, and had framed for us. We laughed with the others as the gag gifts were passed around and sighed as the favored ones were opened.

But soon we wandered into the hall to catch a moment for ourselves.

I wrapped my arm around Severus as we stood in the dark watching the snow fall into the yard. My whole being relaxed as I felt my husband lean into me.

My eyes were starting to drift closed when suddenly I saw a black blur shoot past the door outside. Severus must have seen it too, because a moment later, the door was open. We walked onto the step, and shivering in the cold, we looked around.

Five feet away from us was a black dog, sitting and waiting for us. As he stood, a doe and a stag came out of nowhere to stand behind him.

A moment later, three spectres were in their places.

Lily and James smiled quietly as they mirrored the position Severus and I were in, wrapped around each other. We smiled back, now knowing that the words we had said earlier were true. Our love had their blessing.

But it was the two words that Sirius spoke right before they faded into the night that sent us back inside to our family with both tears and laughter.

"Mischief managed." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last edit completed 9/14/19.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who came along for the ride. It was a wild one!


End file.
